The Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the NFL, played after the Super Bowl at the end of the season.
Click Here to Buy NFL Pro Bowl Football TicketsBeginning with the merger of the American Football League (AFL) and NFL, it has been called the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl for the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference. It has been played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii since 1980.
The game was added at the end of the 1938 season. During the 1050 pro football season, the contest was between conference teams, American vs. National until 1953, then from 1954 to 1970 Eastern vs. Western and finally AFC vs. NFC since 1971.
Players are voted into the Pro Bowl by players, coaches and fans. Each group counts as one-third of the votes. Before 1995, votes were only made by coaches and players. Voting by fans today takes place on the NFL Website. The MVP award for the Pro Bowl began in 1951. As the game doesn't affect team standing or statistical records, the game is played with a lighter feeling than the rest of the season, with players going 'soft' so as to avoid injury. It is seen more as a fun get-together showcasing the skills of players rather than a serious competitive game.