Pro Bowl Is Eliminated
August 26th, 2026
Former Bucs inside linebacker Kwon Alexander delivers a crushing hit on Tyreek Hill at the 2018 Pro Bowl in Orlando.
To Joe’s readers and friends in Polk County and points east, this might be a somber day.
TheAthletic.com announced the Pro Bowl has been eliminated. (What a bunch of a creative minds at NFL headquarters. SMDH)
For several years, after the NFL stopped having the game in Hawaii, Orlando was the league’s Pro Bowl destination of choice. Joe enjoyed attending multiple times.
And then the NFL decided to turn it into a touch-football, Nickelodeon-feeling game show of sorts, which led to rampant disinterest.
Now it’s gone.
The Joe typing here hopes the NFL can figure out a way to craft a sensible Pro Bowl event in the future.
The Pro Bowl honor for players will continue, per TheAthletic.com.
August 26th, 2026 at 5:31 pm
Worthless
August 26th, 2026 at 5:43 pm
Absolutely worthless
August 26th, 2026 at 5:44 pm
About time
August 26th, 2026 at 6:06 pm
Thank God.
August 26th, 2026 at 6:16 pm
More worthless than a preseason game???
August 26th, 2026 at 6:24 pm
Lt. Dan is not normally a long winded kinda cat…looking at you (fondly) DR: I for one am glad the Pro Bowl is kaput. It became a side show. No thanks. But…the memories.
1998 (played for the 1997 season) Pro Bowl in Honolulu. I was a young police officer with the Honolulu Police Department. I took vacation to work all of the practices and the game in uniform as security. The Bus voted to the Pro Bowl were: Alstott, Brooks, Dilfer, Dunn, Lynch, Mayberry, Sapp and Nickerson with Gruber as an alternate. That is where I met and became friends with Pat Yasinskas of the Tamps Tribune for a few years.
My memories: Sapp was his usual surly self. The rest of the guys were very cordial but especially John Lynch and his wife, Linda. My sister in law worked for the Associated Press and sent me pictures of the Bucs in action for autographs. Lynch loved his picture so much (he was crushing some dude with the Bears) he asked for additional copies so he could autograph them for other fans. He gave me his home address and I mailed him about a dozen pictures. In return, Lynch mailed me a bunch of Bucs souvenir’s that I gave to my son and his friends. What an awesome week of interacting with the Bucs and especially John and Mrs. Lynch. What a classy couple.
August 26th, 2026 at 6:28 pm
Why would a player risk injury in a meaningless game
August 26th, 2026 at 6:38 pm
This will actually make the Pro Bowl honor worth something again, since there will no longer be 5th alternates attending due to Super Bowl or Injuries.
August 26th, 2026 at 6:38 pm
The Bucs best DE ever had his career ended playing in the Pro Bowl. Might have gone down as the best ever or at least ranked very close to the best ever if he was able to play longer.
August 26th, 2026 at 6:57 pm
It really just turned into a Bro Bowl.
August 26th, 2026 at 7:02 pm
76dug. He’s gone down as one of the best ever. Hall of Fame. Oklahoma legend. Football doesn’t need an all star game.
Lt. Dan, wish I could take vacations like that! And getting paid for it. Lynch wanted duplicate’s of him crushing someone. Nice.
August 26th, 2026 at 7:06 pm
“The end of a stupid idea.”
— Robert Edwards
August 26th, 2026 at 7:10 pm
Kenton, just pointing out it’s a worthless game. Sad that it ended Leroy’s career.
August 26th, 2026 at 7:18 pm
Best thing the NFL ever did.
August 26th, 2026 at 7:20 pm
No more Pro Bowl alternates ever again. It makes the eyes sting when QBs like Jameis, Andy Dalton, Shadeur, Derek Carr and so many others made being an all-star a joke.
Being chosen for All-Pro still means something, and without that joke of a weekend full of mediocrity happening, being named a Pro Bowler will again too.
August 26th, 2026 at 7:24 pm
76dug Says:
Kenton, just pointing out it’s a worthless game. Sad that it ended Leroy’s career.
******************
Lee Roy was close to the end during the 1984 season, IMO. He was still an effective player but the injuries were starting to grind him down. His injury at the Pro Bowl helped launch his second career a little sooner. The world was better off for every extra minute he spent doing it.
August 26th, 2026 at 7:31 pm
Cool story LT Dan. I poured a keg beer for Lynch while at one of Michael Husted’s post game parties. Was living the dream.
August 26th, 2026 at 7:32 pm
He was incredibly nice. Said “hi I’m John”. I’m sure I muttered something back all star struck.
August 26th, 2026 at 7:39 pm
Only reason for it at all was $$ for owners and a chance to see “foreign” players. Should have killed it 20 years ago.
August 26th, 2026 at 7:49 pm
So, have I got this correct……. This is more news worthy than 7 on 7s today or today’s practice in general ?
I heard Garnes, Trotter had picks.
Gainewell, Hurst, Tez, Chris, Baker reportedly had good days too.
LFG Bucs
August 26th, 2026 at 7:55 pm
Last Pro Bowl I watched was in 2009 when Clifton Smith was the KR man.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:00 pm
Pretty fitting news to read this as I drove past what’s left of Aloha Stadium (it’s being dismantled) this morning and remarked to my wife it was where I’d watched the pro bowl several times while stationed out here.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:08 pm
MonsVenusVIP Says:
August 26th, 2026 at 8:00 pm
Pretty fitting news to read this as I drove past what’s left of Aloha Stadium (it’s being dismantled) this morning and remarked to my wife it was where I’d watched the pro bowl several times while stationed out here.
———–
Is it really? I hadn’t heard about that.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:11 pm
Take the fans out of the voting. Putting them in was the beginning of the end.
Personally, I think it should bea rookie bowl instead.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:15 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
August 26th, 2026 at 8:11 pm
Take the fans out of the voting. Putting them in was the beginning of the end.
———–
Agreed, the fan voting just made it nothing but a popularity contest. I mean David didn’t make the pro-bowl in 2013 when he literally was 1st team ALL-PRO and without a question had a better year than “MVP” Luke Kuechly, who wasn’t even the best LB in the NFC South that year.
August 26th, 2026 at 8:22 pm
Replace them with robots and call it robot bowl
August 26th, 2026 at 8:24 pm
Interesting story Lt.Dan, thanks for sharing !
August 26th, 2026 at 8:31 pm
The pussification of America continues, our fathers just rolling in there graves
August 26th, 2026 at 8:49 pm
It was as bad as watching Pelosi at a press conference.
August 26th, 2026 at 9:19 pm
Lt. Dan
You’re Danno!!! Forget about the Bucs! Can I get McGarrett’s autograph??? PLEASE!!!
August 26th, 2026 at 9:24 pm
@ATLBuc…if I had a dime for every time I was called Danno…or heard..Book’em Danno. I’d be as rich as the Joe’s! Hahahaha!
August 26th, 2026 at 9:27 pm
The Pro bowl game has been useless for years. But I think they should still take the players in their families and put them up somewhere and have a gala event to honor them. I head out Pro bowl, trophies, and the other NFL player awards. It should be done after the Super Bowl.
August 26th, 2026 at 9:30 pm
Lt. Dan
😂 😂 😂
August 26th, 2026 at 9:35 pm
Wow. I was literally thinking about this exact thing on Saturday (I believe it was), during my walk on the “Courtney Campbell Walking Bridge” (WHY is it STILL closed down, by the way!? It finally opened for like a MONTH, about a full YEAR after the hurricanes… But, then closed AGAIN, and has now been on complete LOCKDOWN ever since).
Anyway, I was thinking about how huge of a JOKE it is, that barely HALF of the players selected, even PLAY. So, you get about HALF of the ‘participants’ being completely BOGUS… While, they are still taking and getting credit for it. It’s not even real. And, the actual “game” is THE WORST. It’s a total waste of time, and is just not relevant, or even worth-it. I had NO IDEA though, that it was even up for debate or discussion, as far as completely eliminating it. I was just thinking they should. It serves no purpose. And, NO ONE wants to play in it anyway. No one, even wants to watch-it, either. I mean, I can’t tell you the last time I’ve actually watched one. Probably, not since the last millennium.
August 26th, 2026 at 9:37 pm
LT Dan dude that’s freaking awesome to this day lynch is still my favorite buc. Loved watching him play.
August 26th, 2026 at 9:45 pm
@ LouisFriend – I agree with that 💯. BUT, why in the hell did you not include BAKER on that list!? Andy Dalton has had a MUCH BETTER career than him, up to this point.
August 26th, 2026 at 9:48 pm
I wasn’t a fan of the modern Pro Bowl of jamboree activities and flag football. Somehow it feels like the modern game is getting closer to that ever year with all the current rules via-player safety. It was almost like the league pushed it upon us to see how far they could take it. I’m glad it got cancelled. I will miss seeing all the different helmets on the field at once though. That’s what gave it a visual appeal different from other football games.
August 26th, 2026 at 10:03 pm
@ 74 Bucs Fan Says: “He was incredibly nice. Said “hi I’m John.”
“Incredibly!?” For saying, “Hi, I’m John” LMAOOOOO. Now, that is hilarious. And, “STAR STRUCK.” Really… JOHN LYNCH!? Unbelievable. “Living the dream.” STOP.
August 26th, 2026 at 10:09 pm
@ Rod Munch – Oh yeah, it’s been in total despair and there’s virtually nothing left of it. Most of the rest of it had been torn down several months ago, I believe I remember seeing. They’ve had plans to build a much smaller stadium there, but has seemingly taken them FOREVER.
August 26th, 2026 at 10:16 pm
@ ATLBuc – or just announce it. Those players are all loooong gone and already spread-out all over the place, as soon as their seasons are over. They have lives and their own schedules, and plans. Good-Luck, getting them all together in LA or NYC or somewhere, for a BS dinner and a trophy. They’re not going to be interested in the very LEAST, about anything to do with.
August 26th, 2026 at 10:26 pm
I would never watch it.. place all the losers go
August 26th, 2026 at 11:59 pm
Rodney, you bring up the David slight a lot. And for good reason. He absolutely got robbed that year. Not only for the pro bowl which actually is worthless, as opposed to preseason games which are marginally less so, but how can you give the MVP to a guy at the same position when he didn’t have a season as good as David? Crazy stuff.
August 27th, 2026 at 12:03 am
Mel, why be such a douche? 74 Bucs fan had a moment that meant something to him. Why try to rob or belittle that with a snarky comment? Do you think he’s going to read that and say, ” you know he has a point, what was I thinking?!” Seriously. What purpose does it serve to leave a comment like that aside from possibly puffing up your ego by implying that you’re above that? Really dude.
August 27th, 2026 at 12:19 am
It used to mean something, but not anymore even more so now I guess.
August 27th, 2026 at 12:21 am
Book’em Dano!
August 27th, 2026 at 12:30 am
Worst mistake the NFL made regarding the game was taking it out of Hawaii and Aloha Stadium, which I finally got to visit a few years ago. Glad I got to see it in person before it gets torn down.
August 27th, 2026 at 1:02 am
I met John Lynch in an elevator at one of the team hotels at Carolina.
Got his autograph and that was it.
August 27th, 2026 at 1:55 am
This is kinda misinformation. The pro bowl didn’t lose interest when they changed to the skills test nonsense, the skills test nonsense was created because interest in the pro bowl was already plummeting.
August 27th, 2026 at 6:14 am
Lee Roy’s career was ended because of the Pro Bowl.
That aside, WHO’s idea was it to schedule the thing BEFORE the Super Bowl? You automatically exclude 106 players from the 2 best teams?
August 27th, 2026 at 6:22 am
“the NFL decided to turn it into a touch-football, Nickelodeon-feeling game show”
.
.
Now that I know what goes on backstage at Nickelodeon, I feel bad for the rookie pro-bowlers (NFL version of child stars).
August 27th, 2026 at 6:59 am
I can deal with flag football, I can deal with skills contests, I can even deal with dozens of replacement players. What I can’t deal with (and is still going to be a thing) is fan voting that allows franchises with Hugh fan bases voting in their mediocre players.
August 27th, 2026 at 8:36 am
The pro bowl is a place where players like Jack Lambert can sleep with underage girls and get them pregnant, and then abandon them. Need proof, I will provide.
August 27th, 2026 at 8:46 am
Good move by the NFL. Now they need to do two more things.
1. Keep the regular season at 18 weeks, but with each team playing 16 games with 2 bye weeks. It is unfair that half the league has more home games than the other half. Also, the health of the players will benefit from having 2 byes.
2. Discontinue the overseas games. It is unfair to the teams losing a home game and the travel is brutal.
August 27th, 2026 at 8:55 am
Lately it has been an embarrassing sham to watch all stars playing patsy with the game of football.
August 27th, 2026 at 10:00 am
I was at that Pro Bowl in Orlando in 2018. It was very cold and wet that day. Hopefully the NFL can come up with a better alternative.
August 27th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
“Melvin” is a slang term used to describe a socially awkward, uncool, or nerdy person, and it can also refer to a prank involving pulling someone’s underwear.
August 27th, 2026 at 12:29 pm
Bosch, the international games aren’t going away. In fact, there’s only going to be more of them. They didn’t build a 60k+ seat NFL stadium at Tottenham for 1-2 games a year.
August 27th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
According tome posters on here, almost every game is a worthless game.
So, the players shouldn’t hit in training camp, play in preseason games and let’s kill the Pro Bowl.
Maybe I’m the only one on here that remembers when the Pro Bowl was big deal and meant something. AFC VS NFC. Which Conference was the best. Superstars vs Superstars. The Skills competition was a big deal also. Especially for the QB’s, WR’s, kickers and punters.
Football is a contact sport and players get injured. Conditioning, illegal hit and improper use of protective equipment(or lack there of) seem to be the #1 culprits these days. You don’t practice running one mile for a three mile marathon and Blue Angels don’t do walk throughs to get ready for shows.