Three ideas to change the Pro Bowl

Today is the Pro Bowl, an all-star game nobody seems to care about. The game usually is uncompetitive. A lot of the league’s biggest names skip it. The play isn’t crisp since most of the players haven’t seen game action in weeks.

What should the NFL do to address it? Here are a few ideas.

Change the rules of the game

This is an exhibition. It is supposed to be fun. What it is not is a regular NFL game so don’t play it under NFL rules. The NHL, which also has its all-star game today, shifted its format a few years ago to create a four team tournament with teams competing three on three opposed to the normal five on five. Maybe a gimmick like that could make the game more interesting. How about a tournament of four or eight teams playing something like seven on seven? Since this game has no intensity, maybe they could make it like a flag football or two hand touch game.

For those of you who are about to yell at me about how a football game needs to have contact, I present this great moment in Pro Bowl history.

At least if you change the rules you could reincorporate blitzes back into the game.

Increase pay for the players

Players do get paid and a bonus for winning, but it is not huge money for most NFL stars. If you want to see the guys compete, give them an incentive by making the rewards big.

Eliminate the game

There isn’t a need to even have this game. Each year numerous publications vote on an All Pro team. The players receive the recognition for a great season, but there is no game for All Pros. The NFL could simply name players to the Pro Bowl team each year without playing a game. The big event could be the skills showdown, which is more fun anyway.