NFL I Pro Bowl
The dramatic reason why 23 NFL players dropped out of the Pro Bowl
Numerous reserves were announced for this year’s 2025 Pro Bowl Games after several star players opted out.
![Numerous reserves were announced for this year’s 2025 Pro Bowl Games after several star players opted out.](https://img.asmedia.epimg.net/resizer/v2/GTNZMRUWPENNWPJ37MDVBOPAYQ.jpg?auth=e932275b4b935a121ed0859869610d49eecb301f2868c94a7d680ffb65a3527d&width=360&height=203&smart=true)
The NFL players who make it to the Super Bowl always sit out the Pro Bowl. This is nothing new. But this year, the NFL announced the final rosters and there are several players who made deep playoff runs, but didn’t make it to the Super Bowl, who have also opted out of playing in the 2025 Pro Bowl Games.
The list includes Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, and Ravens running back Derrick Henry. The list goes on. There are now 24 alternates replacing the originally-selected players.
Why NFL players are opting out of the Pro Bowl this year
Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye will replace Jackson, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson will replace Allen, Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield will replace Daniels, and Bills running back James Cook will replace Henry.
A Pro Bowl selection used to be considered an enormous honor, but now several players are electing not to play. Not long ago, the NFL changed the game from its old, all-star format to a skills competition - The “Pro Bowl Games”, which features flag football, dodgeball, and other competitions. That hasn’t seemed to help much. In fact, it may have made it even worse.
The 2024 Pro Bowl Games brought in an average of just 5.793 million viewers across ESPN networks - the NFL’s lowest number of viewers for a Pro Bowl besides their 2021 virtual celebration during the Covid-19 pandemic.
And while Jackson, Allen, and Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown all cited injuries as the reason for their sitting out, other players it seems are just genuinely not interested. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud even declined to be an alternate. Truth be told, it will not be all that interesting to watch either if it’s not going to include the majority of stars.
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