The NFL and NFL Players Association have announced that the 2014 Pro Bowl will feature a new format based on major changes proposed by NFLPA President Domonique Foxworth. The changes are designed to make it an ultimate fan-friendly celebration of the game. As an added bonus, Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders to serve as alumni captains.
Gone is the familiar AFC vs. NFC match-up that has existed since 1971. Instead, players will be selected without regard to conference in voting by fans, coaches and players. For example, the top six quarterbacks following voting will earn distinction as All-Stars, regardless of how many are from AFC or NFC teams.
Players will be assigned to teams through the Pro Bowl Draft, in which two leading vote getters will join two NFL.com fantasy football champions – who will attend the Pro Bowl – to draft players. One of these champions will earn their spot as part of Lenovo’s Fantasy Coach of the Year program, which provides NFL.com fans a chance to be rewarded for their fantasy football skills. The other champion can compete for a Pro Bowl role by playing at NFL.com/fantasy.
The fantasy football champions will have Hall of Fame help. Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders will serve as alumni team captains, assisting the Pro Bowl team captains and fantasy football champions in the draft process.
“As players, we wanted to keep the Pro Bowl to honor excellence in individual performance and connect with the fans in a different environment,” Foxworth said. “To do that, I worked with a group of players to map out new ideas.”
The Pro Bowl player draft will air on Wednesday, January 22 on the NFL Network. Players will practice with their teams on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The coaching staffs will be from the losing teams in the AFC and NFC Divisional playoffs with the best regular-season record. The 2014 Pro Bowl takes place on Sunday, January 26 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, and will be televised by NBC.
“We were very receptive to the ideas that Domonique and the players put forth,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “From there, our office worked closely with him in developing the concept. The players made it clear that they wanted to continue the Pro Bowl and were committed to making it better than ever. We think these changes will enhance the game for both fans and players.”
In addition to these changes, several other aspects of the Pro Bowl will be new in 2014:
- Game within the Game – A two-minute warning will be added to the first and third quarters and the ball will change hands after each quarter. This will increase the opportunities for quarterbacks to direct “two-minute drills,” which are especially exciting for fans.
- No Kickoffs – The coin toss will determine which team is awarded possession first. The ball will be placed on the 25-yard line at the start of each quarter and after scoring plays.
- Rosters – The rosters will continue to consist of 43 players per squad. The kick return specialist will be replaced by an additional defensive back.
- Cover Two and Press Coverage – The defense will be permitted to play “cover two” and “press” coverage. In previous years, only “man” coverage was permitted, except for goal line situations.
- Stopping of the Game Clock – Beginning at the two-minute mark of every quarter, if the offense does not gain at least one yard, the clock will stop as if the play were an incomplete pass. This rule will make the team with the ball attempt to gain yardage toward the end of each quarter.
- Game Timing – The game clock will start after an incomplete pass on the signal of the referee, except inside the last two minutes of the first half and the last five minutes of the second half.
- Play Clock – A 35-second/25-second play clock will be adopted instead of the typical 40-second/25-second clock.
- Sacks – The game clock will not stop on quarterback sacks outside of the final two minutes of the game. Currently, the game clock stops in these situations outside of two minutes of the second and fourth quarters.
Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who was a second alternate in the all-star game last season, likes the new format. Especially the elimination of kickoffs.
“I think it’s cool,” Kerrigan said. “It’s the same incentives for players. It’s the same kind of system in terms of voting. I think it adds a little excitement both for the players and the fans.”
Chicago Bears’ return specialist, Devin Hester has an understandably different outlook on the changes. With the elimination of kickoffs, a guy like him will have a hard time making one of the squads.
“That was one of my goals for this season,” Hester said. “I won’t make the Pro Bowl. They can’t do that. …
“If you are taking the returner out of the Pro Bowl, you’re taking two positions out. That will suck for me. They are trying to change up the whole game of football and they’re messing with people’s jobs and lives.”
There are several return men in the league that will be disappointed with the new format. Oakland Raiders kick returner, Josh Cribbs, tweeted the following on Wednesday:
I’m glad I made the pro bowl when I did doing what I love to do, & being the best at it…
— Josh Cribbs (@JoshCribbs16) July 31, 2013
Of course, Kerrigan is a linebacker, not a kick returner. He was not thinking in terms of the removal of a position from the roster but rather player safety. It is easy though, to see why some changes in the game format are rubbing some NFL players the wrong way.
Hail.