NFL News: 2024 Pro Bowl Games Skills Competitions Announced

By Lydia Jane Allison

Nicholson Fieldhouse at the University of Central Florida (courtesy UCF Athletic Communications)

New and returning fan-favorite skills include Dodgeball, Tug-of-War, Precision Passing and more

Competitions that showcase AFC and NFC players’ football and non-football skills to happen Thursday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 4 in Orlando

NEW YORK — Dec. 20, 2023 — The NFL announced the new and returning skills competitions that Pro Bowl players from the AFC and NFC will compete in during 2024 Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon, including Dodgeball presented by Bud Light, Tug-of-War, Precision Passing and much more.

Taking place over two days in Orlando, the skills challenges will be broadcast live on Thursday, Feb. 1, on ESPN from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET on the Pro Bowl Skills Show, a made-for-tv event taking place in the Nicholson Fieldhouse at the University of Central Florida, and continue Sunday, Feb. 4, culminating in epic flag football.

Fans can buy tickets to Sunday’s event at Camping World Stadium, which will also be televised starting at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, Disney XD, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes and NFL+. Ticketholders will get to witness all the impressive player feats live, including the final day of skills competitions and flag football between the league’s best players. Visit probowl.com/​tickets to buy tickets, which start as low as $45.

A staple of the annual all-star competition, the NFL’s top players are set to participate in the following new and fan-favorite skills competitions that showcase their football and non-football skills:

Thursday, Feb. 1:

  • Precision Passing: Each of the conference’s three quarterbacks will battle it out in a one-minute accuracy competition, as they attempt to accumulate points by hitting as many targets as possible. The conference with the highest cumulative score among all participants earns three points. There are a total of 10 targets that are either static or attached to robotic dummies and drones, each worth a different amount, ranging from one to five points.
  • Best Catch: Pre-taped in landmarks around Orlando, Best Catch will feature one player from each conference, as they show off their creativity, inventiveness and talent. Fans will vote online to determine their favorite catch, and the player with the highest number of votes will earn three points for his conference.
  • Closest to the Pin: This golf accuracy competition will feature six players from each conference. They will drive the golf ball, working to hit it as close to the hole as possible. The winner will earn three points for his conference.
  • High Stakes: Starting off with a football in hand, each player will attempt to catch punts from a JUGS machine. Each player that succeeds in catching the football without dropping others will advance to the next round and attempt to catch an additional football. The most sure-handed player who catches the most footballs wins.
  • Dodgeball presented by Bud Light: A multi-round tournament of classic dodgeball featuring four teams of five players. In the first match, the AFC offense will face the NFC defense, and in the second game, the NFC offense squares off with the AFC defense. The winner will earn three points for their conference.
  • Kick Tac Toe: Each team’s kicker will compete in a giant Tic-Tac-Toe competition to showcase their skills. The first kicker to complete a connecting line of three squares or hit five squares total will be declared the winner and earn three points for his conference.​

Sunday, Feb. 4:

  • Madden NFL Head-to-Head: For the fourth consecutive year, EA SPORTS will host the Madden NFL Head-to-Head Pro Bowl Games event. Two players will represent the NFC and defend their title against the AFC played in Madden NFL 24 using the official 2024 Pro Bowl Games rosters. New this year, the winning team will earn their conference three points.  
  • Gridiron Gauntlet: A full-field relay race between six AFC players and six NFC players who show off their athletic prowess in a challenging obstacle course. They’ll break through walls and crawl under doors, among other obstacles, to get to the final sled push across the field with the ultimate goal of finishing first. The winning team will earn their conference three points.
  • Tug-of-War: New this year, Tug-of-War is a five-on-five demonstration of teamwork, strength and strategy. Positioned above a foam pit, players are challenged to pull backwards on the rope, attempting to move the opposing team in their direction. The competition will be the best of three, and the winner who pulls the opposing team across the marker twice gains three points.
  • Move the Chains: This offensive and defensive linemen strength and speed competition takes strategy and teamwork. Each team of five players must work together to move 3,000 pounds of weights off a massive wall and be the first team to pull that 2,000-pound wall across the finish line. The winner will earn three points for their conference.

The Pro Bowl Games skills competitions will be brought to life by A. Smith & Co. Productions, producers of shows such as “American Ninja Warrior,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “The Titan Games.” The skills will have cumulative scoring leading up to flag football on Sunday.

The 2024 Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon will be a week-long celebration of AFC vs. NFC competitions, culminating with 7-on-7 flag football. To help program the week-long event, the NFL will work with longstanding partners, including the Disney family of ESPN and ABC, Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, producers of shows such as ESPN’s “Monday Night Football with Peyton & Eli,” the “Places” franchise and the Netflix docuseries “Quarterback,” and A. Smith & Co. Productions. Peyton and Eli Manning will also be the head coaches for the AFC and NFC teams respectively.

On Location, the official hospitality partner of the NFL, will offer guests elevated hospitality packages for a one-of-a-kind experience at the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, including field access throughout the game, access to closed practice sessions, player introductions and premium seating to the game. Fans interested in ticket and hospitality packages can visit On Location’s website at Onlocationexp.com/probowl.

For more information on The Pro Bowl Games, visit https://www.nfl.com/pro-bowl-games/event-info/.

 

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