2021 Pro Bowl
National Football League all-star game
The 2021 Pro Bowl was to be the National Football League (NFL) all-star game for the 2020 NFL season , originally scheduled to be played on January 31, 2021, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada .
On October 14, 2020, the NFL announced that it had canceled the game due to the COVID-19 pandemic , and had deferred Las Vegas's hosting of the game to 2022 . The league still conducted a fan vote to determine the Pro Bowl rosters, and instead organized alternative festivities such as Verzuz "highlight battles" featuring NFL players; and an esports exhibition featuring a game of Madden NFL 21 played with the Pro Bowl rosters (controlled by teams of NFL players, alumni, and celebrity guests) that was won by the NFC 32-12.
Background
The original site for the game was announced on June 16, 2020. The Las Vegas Raiders ' home Allegiant Stadium 's bid won out over Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida , and SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles metro area.[ 1]
On October 14, 2020, the league decided to cancel the game amid the COVID-19 pandemic , and Allegiant Stadium was awarded the 2022 Pro Bowl instead.[ 2] The league further announced that the Pro Bowl rosters for the 2020 season would still be voted upon, and that they would instead hold alternative events to honor the players chosen.[ 3] Voting began on November 17, 2020, on the NFL's website and Madden NFL 21 , and on Twitter starting on December 1. Voting on all platforms then ended on December 17 with the rosters being announced on December 21.[ 4] [ 5]
Alternative events
The NFL partnered with Verzuz to air a series of Pro Bowl "highlight battles" from January 26 through 29.[ 6]
ABC , ESPN , and Disney XD aired a television special on January 31 in place of the game—the Pro Bowl Celebration —which was presented by ESPN's NFL studio analysts, and featured segments and interviews honoring the Pro Bowl roster.[ 7] [ 8] [ 9]
Pro Bowl esports exhibition
The esports exhibition was played from their respective homes, in order, quarterback Deshaun Watson (Houston Texans ), former wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson , running back Derrick Henry (Tennessee Titans ), and rapper Snoop Dogg each played one quarter as the AFC team, while quarterback Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals ), NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing ), strong safety Jamal Adams (Seattle Seahawks ), and former running back Marshawn Lynch each played one quarter as the NFC team.[ 10]
Esports box score
2021 Pro Bowl: AFC vs NFC
Quarter
Total
AFC
6
0
6 0 12
NFC
7
19
6 0 32
at N/A ( Madden NFL 21 )
AFC roster
Offense
Position
Starter(s)
Reserve(s)
Quarterback
15 Patrick Mahomes , Kansas City
17 Josh Allen , Buffalo 4 Deshaun Watson , Houston
Running back
22 Derrick Henry , Tennessee
24 Nick Chubb , Cleveland 28 Josh Jacobs , Las Vegas
Fullback
42 Patrick Ricard , Baltimore
Wide receiver
10 Tyreek Hill , Kansas City 14 Stefon Diggs , Buffalo
13 Keenan Allen , LA Chargers 11 A. J. Brown , Tennessee
Tight end
87 Travis Kelce , Kansas City
83 Darren Waller , Las Vegas
Offensive tackle
72 Eric Fisher , Kansas City 78 Laremy Tunsil , Houston
78 Orlando Brown Jr. , Baltimore
Offensive guard
75 Joel Bitonio , Cleveland 56 Quenton Nelson , Indianapolis
66 David DeCastro , Pittsburgh
Center
53 Maurkice Pouncey , Pittsburgh
78 Ryan Kelly , Indianapolis
Defense
Position
Starter(s)
Reserve(s)
Defensive end
97 Joey Bosa , LA Chargers 95 Myles Garrett , Cleveland
55 Frank Clark , Kansas City
Defensive tackle
97 Cameron Heyward , Pittsburgh 95 Chris Jones , Kansas City
93 Calais Campbell , Baltimore
Outside linebacker
55 Bradley Chubb , Denver 90 T. J. Watt , Pittsburgh
99 Matthew Judon , Baltimore
Inside linebacker
53 Darius Leonard , Indianapolis
49 Tremaine Edmunds , Buffalo
Cornerback
25 Xavien Howard , Miami 27 Tre'Davious White , Buffalo
24 Stephon Gilmore , New England 44 Marlon Humphrey , Baltimore
Free safety
39 Minkah Fitzpatrick , Pittsburgh
31 Justin Simmons , Denver
Strong safety
32 Tyrann Mathieu , Kansas City
Special teams
NFC roster
Offense
Position(s)
Starter(s)
Reserve(s)
Quarterback
12 Aaron Rodgers , Green Bay
3 Russell Wilson , Seattle 1 Kyler Murray , Arizona
Running back
33 Dalvin Cook , Minnesota
41 Alvin Kamara , New Orleans 33 Aaron Jones , Green Bay
Fullback
44 Kyle Juszczyk , San Francisco
Wide receiver
17 Davante Adams , Green Bay 10 DeAndre Hopkins , Arizona
14 DK Metcalf , Seattle 18 Justin Jefferson , Minnesota
Tight end
88 T. J. Hockenson , Detroit
88 Evan Engram , NY Giants
Offensive tackle
69 David Bakhtiari , Green Bay 71 Trent Williams , San Francisco
72 Terron Armstead , New Orleans
Offensive guard
75 Brandon Scherff , Washington 74 Elgton Jenkins , Green Bay
75 Andrus Peat , New Orleans
Center
62 Jason Kelce , Philadelphia
77 Frank Ragnow , Detroit
Defense
Position
Starter(s)
Reserve(s)
Defensive end
94 Cameron Jordan , New Orleans 55 Brandon Graham , Philadelphia
99 Chase Young , Washington
Defensive tackle
99 Aaron Donald , LA Rams 91 Fletcher Cox , Philadelphia
97 Grady Jarrett , Atlanta
Outside linebacker
55 Za'Darius Smith , Green Bay 52 Khalil Mack , Chicago
90 Jason Pierre-Paul , Tampa Bay
Inside linebacker
54 Bobby Wagner , Seattle
54 Fred Warner , San Francisco
Cornerback
20 Jalen Ramsey , LA Rams 23 Jaire Alexander , Green Bay
23 Marshon Lattimore , New Orleans 24 James Bradberry , NY Giants
Free safety
37 Quandre Diggs , Seattle
33 Jamal Adams , Seattle
Strong safety
32 Budda Baker , Arizona
Special teams
Number of selections per team
References
^ Richard Bilbao. "Orlando Eyes Yet Another Year Of The Pro Bowl" . Orlando Business Journal . Retrieved October 8, 2019 .
^ "NFL to reimagine 2021 Pro Bowl; '22 Pro Bowl awarded to Las Vegas" . www.nfl.com . Archived from the original on October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2020 .
^ Smith, Michael David (October 14, 2020). "Pro Bowl will not be played this season" . Pro Football Talk . Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020 .
^ Rapp, Timothy. "NFL Announces Format, Schedule, Voting for Virtual Madden 21 Pro Bowl" . Bleacher Report . Retrieved November 18, 2020 .
^ "NFL reveals complete AFC, NFC rosters for 2021 Pro Bowl" . NFL.com . December 22, 2020. Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020 .
^ "NFL teams up with Verzuz for first-ever "NFL Pro Bowl Verzuz presented by Verizon" " . NFL.com . Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021 .
^ Lucia, Joe (January 28, 2021). "The "Pro Bowl Celebration" seems like it will mostly be highlights and interviews" . Awful Announcing . Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021 .
^ "The 2021 Pro Bowl Celebration presented by Verizon Premieres Sunday, Jan. 31, at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC and Disney XD" . ESPN Press Room U.S . January 28, 2021. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021 .
^ Nguyen, Kevin (November 17, 2020). "The NFL Pro Bowl will be hosted in Madden this season" . The Verge . Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020 .
^ Rothstein, Michael (January 25, 2021). "Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, Jamal Adams, Derrick Henry playing virtual Pro Bowl using Madden NFL 21" . ESPN . Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021 .
External links
All-Star Games NFL Pro Bowls AFC–NFC Pro Bowls Draft Pro Bowls Pro Bowl Games