By Lydia Jane Allison
League Will Host Events Focused on Youth Football and Community Engagement
NEW YORK — Jan. 16, 2025 — The 2025 Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon will bring together the league’s premier talent to showcase their skills on the field, while also highlighting the NFL family’s commitment to giving back off the field. Throughout the week leading up to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando, the NFL will host events across the city to engage with youth through football and leave a positive philanthropic legacy in the community.
For the second consecutive year, the NFL will return to Orlando to celebrate the league’s best players at the 2025 Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon. The Pro Bowl Games provide fans with an unmatched opportunity to watch their favorite players compete in a multi-day AFC versus NFC competition, featuring a Pro Bowl Skills contest and an action-packed flag football game, led by head coaches Peyton and Eli Manning.
Celebrations for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games will begin with the Pro Bowl Welcome Press Conference and Legacy Greening Project on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at the Eagle Nest Park in Orlando. Prior to the press conference, with support from NFL partner Verizon, community volunteers will join GreenUp Orlando and members of the Army Reserve 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command to plant trees to provide shade and beauty along a pathway local students utilize daily to reach school. As part of the overall Pro Bowl greening initiative, Verizon, in partnership with NFL Green, will plant 5,000 trees in Apalachicola National Forest to restore areas damaged by Hurricane Michael. Planting will focus on returning native conifers to the landscape and providing habitat for a vast array of wildlife.
On Thursday, Jan. 30, Truist and the NFL will visit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida to host an event for local youth centered around promoting healthy living through NFL PLAY 60 football activities and Truist-led financial literacy programming. Youth participating will have the opportunity to attend the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown later that evening.
Throughout the week, the NFL is inviting numerous community organizations to watch and participate in the Pro Bowl Games festivities, including private access to the AFC and NFC team practices. Community groups participating this year include NFL Salute to Service charitable partners Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and the Wounded Warrior Project, as well as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Special Olympics and American Cancer Society.
New this season, the NFL is expanding its NFL PLAY 60 Super Kid initiative beyond the Super Bowl to include the Pro Bowl Games. Tyler Boyd from Florida will be this year’s NFL PLAY 60 Super Kid for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, where he will participate in a variety of community events and behind the scenes opportunities, culminating in on-field recognition during the Pro Bowl Game. Tyler is a member of Special Olympics Florida’s Unified Sports flag football team, which provides opportunities for people with and without intellectual disabilities to play on the same team.
During Pro Bowl Games Week, the NFL will also help grant wishes for Make-A-Wish kids Parker, Kellen and Brady. Make-A-Wish is a long-standing partner of the NFL and creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. All three wish kids are avid football fans and will be coming to Orlando from across the country to meet and watch their favorite players in action. As part of their experience, Parker, Kellen, Brady and their families will attend the Pro Bowl Skills Show on Thursday, Jan. 30, interact with Pro Bowl players at both the NFC and AFC practices and attend the 2025 Pro Bowl Game.
In addition to the community activities and engagement taking place during the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, the NFL will also highlight international youth flag athletes, youth & high school football participants and coaches through a variety of activations throughout the week.
Returning this season is the International NFL Flag Championship Tournament. Young athletes from 13 countries will travel to the U.S. to compete in a multi-day flag football tournament from Friday, Jan. 31 – Sunday, Feb. 2 to showcase their skills and connect with peers from around the world, before watching NFL superstars compete in the sport at the 2025 Pro Bowl Games. This is the largest international flag football tournament to date with participating countries from across five of the seven continents, including: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, and Spain. New this year, the Championship Game between the two top teams across the tournament will be held onsite at Camping World Stadium the morning of the Pro Bowl Game.
Before the Pro Bowl Game, select high school girls flag football players will participate in the inaugural NFL Girls Flag All-Star Game to be aired on ESPN. These athletes were selected from USA TODAY’s Sports Super 25 Girls Flag Football High School Poll and represent the best of the sport from schools across the country.
The Pro Bowl Game on Sunday, Feb. 2 promises fans a day filled with thrilling AFC vs. NFC action. Ticketholders will witness the league’s 88 biggest stars go head-to-head in fan-favorite competitions, face-off in an epic flag football game, and enjoy a variety of family friendly activities, giveaways, and interactive experiences. Sunday’s events will also be televised from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC. Fans can visit ProBowl.com/tickets to buy tickets, which start as low as $29.
A full list of Pro Bowl Games Week community and youth football events and activations is below.
Pro Bowl Welcome Press Conference and Legacy Greening Project
On Wednesday, Jan. 29, the NFL will begin celebrations for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games at Eagle Nest Park in Orlando with a kickoff press conference and a community greening project. With support from NFL partner Verizon, community volunteers will join GreenUp Orlando and members of the Army Reserve 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command to plant trees to provide shade and beauty along a pathway local students utilize daily to reach school. The event’s community service component will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET and the press conference will begin at 3:00 p.m. ET. Representatives from the NFL, Florida Citrus Sports, the City of Orlando, Orange County and Verizon will participate.
EA SPORTS™ MADDEN NFL 25 x HBCU Tournament
The NFL brings back the Madden NFL 25 x HBCU Tournament, designed to reach and empower students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who have a passion for gaming and football. Taking place on Wednesday, Jan. 29, the tournament aims to maintain the tradition of providing students at HBCUs a chance to compete on a big stage in Madden NFL 25 while gaining hands-on professional experience with EA SPORTS. The six student finalists will be invited to Orlando to compete for a chance to win cash and prizes throughout the tournament. To learn more, visit https://hbcutournament.nfl.
Truist Youth Financial Literacy and NFL PLAY 60 Event
On Thursday, Jan. 30, Truist and the NFL will visit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida to host an event for local youth centered around promoting healthy living through NFL PLAY 60 football activities and Truist-led financial literacy programming. Youth participating will have the opportunity to attend the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown later that evening. The event will begin at 3:00 p.m. ET.
International NFL Flag Championship Tournament
From Friday, Jan. 31 to Sunday, Feb. 2, young athletes from 13 countries will travel to the U.S. to compete in a multi-day flag football tournament to showcase their skills and connect with peers from around the world, before watching NFL superstars compete in the sport at the 2025 Pro Bowl Games. This is the largest international flag football tournament to date with participating countries from across five of the seven continents, including: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, and Spain. New this year, the Championship Game between the two top teams across the tournament will be held onsite at Camping World Stadium the morning of the Pro Bowl.
NFL Flag HBCU Tournament
From Friday, Jan. 31 to Saturday, Feb. 1, the NFL will celebrate the role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in growing flag football through the inaugural NFL Flag HBCU Tournament. Co-ed teams comprised of students from HBCUs across the country will come to Orlando to participate in the tournament. The tournament will be hosted at RWC Park at the University of Central Florida.
American Youth Football (AYF) Middle School All-Star Game
On Saturday, Feb. 1, American Youth Football’s (AYF) top middle school football players nominated by their coaches will compete in an All-Star game to celebrate their contributions to their teams. The game will take place at Lake Howell High School in Winter Park, FL at 7:30 PM ET.
Madden NFL Youth Championship Finals
On Saturday, Feb. 1, the first-ever Madden NFL Youth Championship Finals at the Pro Bowl Games will be held at Camping World Stadium. The event will welcome over 200 local area students from Orange County Public Schools to attend the championship finals. A nationwide online competition was held through the PlayVS platform to identify the two best youth Madden players in the country. The Madden Youth Championship is powered by a strategic partnership between the NFL and PlayVS, underscored by a collective commitment to provide access to competitive gaming and learning opportunities for students. To learn more about the Madden Youth Championship, visit playvs.com/myc.
NFL High School Girls Flag Showcase
On Sunday, Feb. 2 before the Pro Bowl Game, select high school girls flag football players will participate in the inaugural NFL Girls Flag All-Star Game. These athletes were selected from USA TODAY’s Sports Super 25 Girls Flag Football High School Poll and represent the best of the sport from schools across the country. The game will air nationally on ESPN.
Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award
The Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award honors two exemplary football coaches at the high school level who display the integrity, achievement, and leadership demonstrated by Coach Shula. Coaches are nominated for the national award by all 32 NFL teams, and the winner is selected by an elite panel of judges. The winners of the award will be announced the week before the Pro Bowl Games. The two winners will be invited to the Pro Bowl Games on Sunday, Feb. 2, and will be recognized throughout the week.
NFL/NFHS Officiating Crew of the Year
As part of the NFL/NFHS Crew of the Month initiative, each participating state association nominates their Crew of the Year from the crews submitted by their state throughout the 2024 season. The winners of the award will be announced the week before the Pro Bowl Games. The Crew of the Year awardee will be invited to participate in the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge.
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