Orlando, FL – The NFC outlasted the AFC in the 2024 Pro Bowl Games on Sunday in front of 55,000 fans at Camping World Stadium. It’s the second NFC win in a row.
Peyton Manning and Eli Manning are serving as coaches for the Pro Bowl Games.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield took home the Offensive Most Valuable Player award, even though, at first, he had mixed feelings about participating.
“To be honest with you, I didn’t know how to feel about it until I got on the bus and saw everybody on there,” Mayfield said. “Just seeing the faces, all the national names and all that, it really is an honor.”
A total of six skills challenges took place on Thursday, one of which will see the winner announced on Sunday. The NFC dominated the Olympics-like challenges which started on Thursday and concluded on Sunday with five more skills challenges — Madden NFL head-to-head, Gridiron Gauntlet, Kick-Tac-Toe, Tug-of-War, and Move the Chains — before the highly anticipated 7-on-7 flag football game.
The NFC also had a late scoring flurry in the second half of the flag football game to win the overall competition, 64-59. The AFC was outscored by a margin of 19-6 in the final quarter and a half, even though the AFC ended up winning the flag football game, 50-34.
Give credit to the NFC for being far more focused on the skills competitions throughout the entire weekend. The NFC absolutely controlled, winning all but one skills competition event, the kick tic-tac-toe. In all, the NFC outscored the AFC, 30-9, in all the skills competitions, making it the primary reason the NFC won the entire event.
The result is also a nice little payday for the NFC players, each of whom takes home a bonus of $80,000 — as opposed to the AFC players, who bring in half of that.
With the varied events, including a gold drive challenge (Really? This is football?), it was evident that the players enjoyed themselves during the contest.
“It’s always special to be here with all of the elite talent, to get to know them off the football field,” said Titans Running back Derrick Henry. “You see the guys that come every year, and it’s nice to help the younger guys. It’s always fun to meet everybody and build a relationship as well.”
A highlight of the event was the Gridiron Gauntlet, where some of the NFL big men ran through an obstacle course. It blends agility and strength events like footwork challenges and sled pushes. The AFC and NFC compete side-by-side, ending with a sled push, in which Philadelphia Eagles lineman Jason Kelce rode the sled, urging his teammates to push while leaning back to help them along.
All in all, it was a fun event that showed a lot of bonding with the players, with some of their kids on the field as well.
