NFL officially calls it quits on Pro Bowl games beginning in 2026

The Houston Texans still will have Pro Bowl talent on the roster.

The difference in 2026? They won’t be suiting up for one more game that really is just a week away from the facility.

The NFL officially announced Wednesday that it has eliminated the Pro Bowl game starting this season. Pro Bowl honors for playes name to the team will remain, but there will no longer be a flag football game and a slew of events among the honorees just before the Super Bowl.

“The Pro Bowl has always been about recognizing the players who distinguish themselves as the very best in the NFL,” NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said in a statement  “A Pro Bowl selection will return to its original purpose, honoring the best of the best. We want that distinction to carry even greater meaning for the players, their families, their clubs and our fans.”

The NFL has eliminated the Pro Bowl games, per a league official. The focus now will shift to celebrating the honor of being a Pro-Bowl selection. pic.twitter.com/YLgdqQXwbf

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 26, 2026

For years, fans have complained about the game losing its luster, largely due to the number of opt-outs and replacements. It used to be a tackle game that featured light hitting, but that too has gone away in exchange for a flag football outing that’s interrupted multiple times by events that have nothing to do with the sport.

As for how the function will work, the NFL plans to name 88 players as Pro Bowlers in the AFC and NF at the end of the season, thus eliminating the Pro Bowl alternates who want to attend as a bonus.

Instead of a game itself, the league plans to have an event honoring Pro Bowlers during the same week of the games.

The Texans usually have strong representation, either in voted form or alternate options. Last season, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, defensive end Will Anderson, safety Calen Bullock, wide receiver Nico Collins, cornerback Kamari Lassiter and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. were all named to the team as starters, while both quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Danielle Hunter were named as alternates in the past.

Do you agree with the decision to remove the Pro Bowl Games at the end of the year?

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: NFL officially calls it quits on Pro Bowl games beginning in 2026