For Pete's Sake

NFL is pondering ways to improve the Pro Bowl. Fans love an idea Chad Johnson offered

AFC tackle Mark Andrews (89), of the Baltimore Ravens, carries the ball past NFC special teams player J.T. Gray (48), of the New Orleans Saints, during the first half of the Pro Bowl NFL football game, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
AFC tackle Mark Andrews (89), of the Baltimore Ravens, carries the ball past NFC special teams player J.T. Gray (48), of the New Orleans Saints, during the first half of the Pro Bowl NFL football game, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) AP

The goal for most players in the NFL’s Pro Bowl game is to avoid injury, and no one could blame them for having that outlook.

The NFL is aware the game more closely resembles a flag-football event than a regular-season contest. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday the league is “discussing the Pro Bowl week and ways to improve it — including possibly eliminating the traditional game and using that Sunday to showcase the players in it.”

One idea that has been widely shared on social media is turning the Pro Bowl into a skills competition. But former Bengals wide receiver Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson came up with a different plan.

“Have the current pro bowlers play against the past era of pro bowlers,” Johnson wrote on Twitter, “like an old school vs new school, don’t even need pads, can be flag formatted, would break the viewing ratings for a Pro Bowl easily…”

Fans who sat through the AFC’s 41-35 win over the NFC in February thought Johnson’s idea was perfect.

Imagine, say, Whitney Mercilus running after Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, whose throw for Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is intercepted by Malcolm Jenkins.

Here is a sampling of what fans on Twitter were saying about Johnson’s plan.

This story was originally published May 24, 2022 at 12:58 PM.

Pete Grathoff
The Kansas City Star
From covering the World Series to the World Cup, Pete Grathoff has done a little bit of everything since joining The Kansas City Star in 1997.
Sports Pass is your ticket to Kansas City sports
#ReadLocal

Get in-depth, sideline coverage of Kansas City area sports - only $1 a month

VIEW OFFER