The NFL debuted its reimagined Pro Bowl format last season, turning Pro Bowl week into a series of skills competitions and flag football games. The Pro Bowl Games are back for a second season, but there have been a few changes made to the lineup.
Tug-of-war is the big addition to the set of skills contests, testing the strength of some of the NFL's strongest athletes. Meanwhile, two other contests from last year's games have been amended as the league tries to figure out how to get the most out of the weekend between the conference championships and the Super Bowl.
There will be nine skills competitions in addition to a handful of flag football games at the 2024 Pro Bowl, and all count toward a point total that will result in either the AFC or NFC walking away as the overall winner.
Here are the guidelines for all nine skills contests that make up the 2024 Pro Bowl Games.
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Pro Bowl skills contest rules 2024
The NFL is expanding its Pro Bowl skills competition to include nine separate events in addition to the Pro Bowl's three flag football games. Certain events test specific skills, such as strength or precision, while others simply give players and fans an opportunity to have some fun.
Some skills contests are straightforward. Others are a bit more complicated. Here's a breakdown of how all nine competitions work.
Dodgeball
Perhaps the most exciting of the events slated to take place during Pro Bowl week is the dodgeball game, which will pit four teams against one another in a multi-round tournament.
Each conference will be split into two teams — one offense and one defense. While last year's format had the AFC offense face the AFC defense to start out, this time, the AFC offense will face the NFC defense while the NFC offense will face the AFC defense. Then, the two teams left standing will battle it out — even if one conference has already locked in the win and three points.
Tug-of-war
Tug-of-war is the new addition this season, with the league adding a game just about everyone of any age can relate to.
Barring any surprises, two sides will grab hold of a rope and pull, pull, and pull some more in an attempt to out-muscle the opposition.
The contest will feature five players from each conference in a battle of strength, with the 10 players positioned above a foam pit. It's a best-of-three, so one loss isn't the end of the line if one side is overmatched at first.
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High Stakes
Replacing last year's lightning-round competition, High Stakes is a pared-down version of that contest that focuses just on catching punts.
A JUGS machine will launch punts in players' directions, and each player will attempt to catch one ball after another without dropping the others. The player who catches the most footballs without dropping wins the competition and earns points for his conference.
Closest to the Pin
Last year's Pro Bowl games featured a longest-drive contest for players to test their golf skills. This year, that has been amended to a closest-to-the-pin competition. Simply, players will compete to see who can hit a golf ball closest to the designated hole.
The rules mirror the final round of "The Match" featuring Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce that was played last June. That was played in Las Vegas, where Mahomes and Kelce are heading for Super Bowl 58 rather than the Pro Bowl in Orlando.
Precision Passing
Quarterbacks still rule in the NFL, and three from each conference will get a chance to show off their accuracy in the Pro Bowl precision passing contest. Each quarterback will try to hit a variety of targets in one minute. The QB who finishes with the highest total score after 10 throws will walk away with the win, earning his conference three points.
Some targets will be stationary, while others will be moving targets "attached to robotic dummies or drones."
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Best Catch
There might not be a more entertaining competition at the Pro Bowl than the best catch contest, which will feature some of the NFL's best pass-catchers attempting to make highlight-reel grabs. It just won't happen in real-time.
Like last year in Las Vegas, this year's participants will be "pre-taped in landmarks around Orlando" making spectacular catches.
Fans will vote for what they believe is the best catch, and the winner will earn points for his conference.
Gridiron Gauntlet
Gridiron Gauntlet is a relay race and obstacle course all in one. Unlike most events, this one is not geared toward one particular position. Six players from each conference will participate, and it will benefit each side to have players who rely on speed and agility, plus others who rely on strength. The team that completes the event fastest will earn its conference three points.
Kick Tac Toe
The Pro Bowl kickers will compete in a giant edition of tic-tac-toe with three points on the line for each conference.
Each kicker must "complete a connecting line of three squares or hit five squares total" to get the win, according to the league's rules.
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Move the Chains
Move the Chains is the competition for fans who believe football is won in the trenches. Offensive linemen and defensive linemen from each conference will compete in a test of strength, tasked with moving thousands of pounds in weight.
Each conference will have a team of five players, and the winning side will earn three points.
