
2025 Pro Bowl Games Preview
There is still one serious bit of business to be conducted before the end of the 2024-25 NFL season but, while many eyes are already on the Super Bowl next Sunday, there is still time for some fun and games as the Pro Bowl Games get underway in Orlando.
The NFL changed the Pro Bowl several years ago, replacing an oft-tepid full contact game between the all-stars of the NFC and AFC with several unique skills competitions and a flag football game, creating a legitimately ‘made for TV’ event.
“The Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon celebrates the biggest stars in the NFL in a format that’s fun, competitive and accessible to fans — with flag football at its core,” Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of events, international and club business, commented. “The players helped create this new format two years ago, and, each year, we add new elements and surprises. We’re thrilled to bring this multi-day, all-star event back to Orlando, which has established itself as a beloved destination for our players, their families and NFL fans from around the country and the world.”
***
Scoring for the Pro Bowl Games works with the winning conference of each skill competition earning three points towards their team’s overall score, with 33 points available across the 11 skills events. Points from Sunday’s Flag game — played over four 12-minute quarters — will be added to points earned from Skills competitions to determine the winning conference for the 2025 Games.
But what are the competitions, and which star players will participate in them? I’m glad you asked…
Passing the Test
Replacing the Precision Passing challenge won by Baker Mayfield and the NFC last season, ‘Passing the Test’ still features quarterbacks having to hit targets at various distances worth different point values within 40 seconds. However, before a ball gets thrown, a player selected by the quarterback in question will be asked five trivia questions about current Pro Bowl players. Every correct answer is worth another ten seconds in the challenge, with the winner being the team with the quarterback who scores the most points. Mayfield is back in this challenge, and he has plumped for his Tampa Bay teammate Mike Evans to be his quiz master. The other passer/participant pairings, some of which defy divisional rivalries, are as follows:
Joe Burrow (Bengals) & Nico Collins (Texans)
Drake Maye (Patriots) & Jonnu Smith (Dolphins)
Russell Wilson (Steelers) & Myles Garrett (Browns)
Jared Goff (Lions) & Josh Jacobs (Packers)
Sam Darnold (Vikings) & Fred Warner (49ers)
Satisfying Catches
Replacing the High Stakes challenge from 2023, this competition pits a wide receiver, a tight end and a defensive back from the respective conferences against each other in an obstacle course, including catches from a JUGS machine at different distances, with the lowest combined time deciding the winner. The AFC will be represented by Ja’Marr Chase (Bengals), Brock Bowers (Raiders) and Derek Stingley (Texans), while NFC hopes rest with Justin Jefferson I(Vikings), Trey McBride (Cardinals) and Jaylon Johnson (Bears).
The Big Spike
A competition that gives the big men a chance to show off their spiking ability, this one measures the power and impact of three linemen from each conference as they spike footballs. The player with the highest score will take three points for their conference. Both teams feature two offensive linemen and a defensive lineman, with the AFC squad featuring Rashawn Slater (Chargers), Quinnen Williams (Jets) and Joel Bitonio (Browns), with Chris Lindstrom (Falcons), Dexter Lawrence (Giants) and Frank Ragnow (Lions) repping the NFC.
Relay Race
Speed and ball security is key in this event, as four players from each conference complete a 40-yard dash before handing a ball to the next athlete on their team, continuing until the fourth and final player crosses the finishing line. There will be three waves, with players of different positions taking part. The AFC teams are Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Patrick Surtain II (Broncos), Danielle Hunter (Texans) and Patrick Ricard (Ravens); Minkah Fitzpatrick (Steelers), Marvin Mims (Broncos), Joey Bosa (Chargers) and Denzel Ward (Browns); and Jerry Jeudy (Browns), Kyle Van Noy (Ravens), Nik Bonitto (Broncos) and Derwin James (Chargers). Representing
the NFC will be Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions), Jaycee Horn (Panthers), Micah Parsons (Cowboys) and Brian Branch (Lions); Devon Witherspoon (Seahawks), KhaDarel Hodge (Falcons), Nick Bosa (49ers) — with the Bosa brothers in direct competition in this one — and KaVonte Turpin (Cowboys); and finally Malik Nabers (Giants), Bobby Wagner (Commanders), Jared Verse (Rams) and Budda Baker (Cardinals).
Helmet Harmony
After the physically demanding aspects of recent challenges, the emphasis switches to a more cerebral challenge, as teams from each conference lock horns in a test of knowledge. The teams will be tested, gameshow style, on their knowledge of their teammates, with every correct answer worth a precious point and the team with the most points taking the spoils. Pairs of teammates from the Steelers, Bills and Ravens will carry the hopes of the AFC, while the NFC brainiacs are teammates from the Buccaneers, Vikings and Packers.
Dodgeball
A returning favourite, the NFC dominated this clash in 2023, carrying off a 12-6 win. It’s a clash between a mix of offensive, defensive and special team players, and will be a two-round tournament made up of two teams from each conference. Jeffrey Simmons (Titans) and Patrick Queen (Steelers) lead the way for the AFC sides, while the NFC squads will look to Bijan Robinson (Falcons) and George Kittle (49ers) for inspiration.
Punt Perfect
Fighting back against the myth that punting is easy comes a challenge that pairs a punter and a ‘skill’ player from each conference and asks them to punt the ball from the 35-yard line into a set of six buckets in the endzone. Each team has 12 punts or one minute to land as many balls as they can into the buckets. It’s one point per bucket, while every fourth punt is worth a whopping three. The AFC will be represented by Logan Cooke (Jaguars) with his non-punting partner being Marlon Humphrey (Ravens). Lions’ punter Jack Fox will be aided by Kyle Juszcyk of the 49ers as they look to secure bragging rights for the NFC.
Madden 25
The players from the game go ‘In the Game’ as two players from each conference swap shoulder pads for joypads to take each other on in Madden NFL 25. Derwin James and Brian Thomas Jr are bringing their game skills for the AFC, while the NFC gamers will be Justin Jefferson and Micah Parsons. This epic bout will be streamed live on the EA Sports Madden channel on Twitch. Last year, the NFC pair of Puka Nacua and Micah Parsons were victorious over AFC foes David Njoku and Tyreek Hill.
The Great Football Race
Another physically demanding challenge as six players from each conference push themselves to the limit in a relay race consisting of five different challenges, with a sled push providing the grand finale. The AFC combatants will be led by Myles Garrett (Browns) and feature the solid, steady and reliable Chris Boswell of the Steelers. The NFC has their own defensive lynchpin and unflappable kicker, with Micah Parsons and Brandon Aubrey of the Cowboys leading the way.
Tug-of-War
The ultimate strong man event made its debut in the 2023 Pro Bowl games, and it was the NFC squad that pulled off the win last year. This contest features five players from each conference, positioned above a foam pit, challenged with pulling their opponents towards them before ultimately sending them into a foamy doom. It’s the best of three, with the team that sups the suds twice ending up the losers. Some of the leagues strongest players are on display in this one, with the AFC boasting powerhouses like Quenton Nelson (Colts), Jeffrey Simmons (Titans) and Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) and the NFC bringing some serious muscle in the form of Vita Vea (Buccaneers), Leonard Williams (Seahawks) and Robert Hunt (Panthers) bringing the beef.
Flag Football Game
The highlight of the whole affair, the Pro Bowl Games will end with an epic confrontation of seven-on-seven flag football between the two conferences. The game will be played over four 12-minute quarters, and all points scored will be added to the points accrued from the skills contests already played out. The rosters are large and include all of the players already named to skills contests plus a few more, including Joe Mixon (Texans), James Cook (Bills), Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), Tyler Linderbaum (Ravens), Frank Ragnow (Lions), Connor McGovern (Bills), Erik McCoy (Saints), Jonathan Greenard (Vikings), Andrew Van Ginkel (Vikings), Zaire Franklin (Colts), Byron Murphy (Vikings), Xavier McKinney (Packers), Kyle Hamilton (Ravens) and Miles Killebrew (Steelers).