NFL announced that the all-star Pro Bowl will be replaced with a different event called Pro Bowl Games which will have a weeklong skill competition followed by a flag football game, on Monday. The first Pro Bowl Games will be held starting on February 5, 2023, in Vegas.

In the Twitter post, NFL has said that the Pro Bowl Games will “integrate new challenges” where players will “showcase their football and nonfootball skills in a fun and memorable way.” The all-star AFC vs NFC flag football match at the end will be the most highlighted event of the Games. 

Also read: NFL to replace Pro Bowl with week-long skills competitions and a flag football game

Till last year, Pro Ball used to be a competitive football match between the all-star teams of AFC and NFC – two major football conferences in US. The NFL was looking for a Pro Bowl replacement as its physical demand made it difficult for many former stars to participate, AP says. 

What is a flag football game? 

Flag football is a variation of American football where contact between players is limited. The game is similar to football, but instead of downing a player to the ground, defenders are required to take out a flag attached to the back of the player with the ball, to end play. 

The game developed as an amateur sport among NFL fans and its rules vary widely across different amateur leagues – except for the flag pulling part. Usually, the traditional American football rules are modified to make it a less physically demanding game with low chances of injury.

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As the game has grown popular in the US, a standardised version of flag football has emerged with the traditional football rules and it was recognised by the International Federation of American Football. The IFAF Flag Football World Championship is its biggest event held every two years. Its last edition saw the participation of teams from 22 countries.

The NFL and the IFAF are jointly pushing to include flag football as a sport in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.