The 2026 Pro Bowl was canceled from its normal Sunday schedule and will be played on Tuesday night in Santa Clara, Calif., in preparation for Super Bowl X.
It brings a lot of primetime fun, and Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons is soaking in it. His ACL recovery didn’t stop him from happily rolling around on his electric scooter all night long.
Before the game, AFC head coach Steve Young gave an inspiring speech to his team about how his players are now involved in a sport that will be part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
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While not all players mastered the rules, they did put in the effort, which isn’t always guaranteed at recent Pro Bowls.
The AFC got out of trouble early and built an 18-point lead. But Jerry Rice’s NFC clawed its way back to win 66-52.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. earned the game’s defensive MVP honors after throwing an interception to help seal the deal.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens earned Offensive MVP honors with his impressive body control and end zone footwork, including his game-winning touchdown catch.
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Confused how this all happened? Below is an overview of the main rules and main highlights of the game.
key rules
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7 players per team
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Centers are eligible for passes
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The offense begins at the team’s own 5-yard line
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The team must pass through the midfield to attack on the first possession
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Score 6 points for a touchdown
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The 1 point conversion was scored from 5 yards out
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The 2-point conversion was scored from 10 yards out
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Highlights of the first half
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shaddell Sanders’ pass bounced off the hands of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jamaal Chase and the Chicago Bears’ Kevin Baird was on hand to intercept the deflection. If Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Cooper DeJean hadn’t “covered,” Byrd would have gone to the sixth pick. Sanders abandoned that option.
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Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s speed is underrated. He showed that off when he caught a double pass from Miami Dolphins linebacker De’Von Achane and then gave Dallas Cowboys return specialist KaVontae Turpin a miss on his way to the end zone. That’s when the AFC scored 32 points early on after falling behind 14-0 early.
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Chase made up for the interception he caused on defense. The world-class receiver sucked the pick down low with his left hand after hitting some DBs. He also booked six people. He arrived via a backflip.
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Sanders capped off a rhythmic AFC offense with a touchdown pass to Denver Broncos linebacker Garett Bolles, who made a compelling case for the big man to win the game’s Offensive MVP award.
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Speaking of solid blockers, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Ricard also had a scoring chance, and then Burrow found Defender of the Year finalist Bolles, who converted the one-point play to keep the big play going and give the AFC a 32-14 advantage.
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Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson combined for two touchdowns, one of which ended the NFC’s scoring drought.
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Sanders developed a rapport with Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins, who caught a pass from the rookie signal-caller and ran for a touchdown, improving his numbers to 10-for-11 passing for 118 yards, two scores and one interception.
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The Cowboys helped close the NFC deficit thanks to a pass from quarterback Dak Prescott to his everyday teammate WR CeeDee Lamb. The reception went six times after Lamb swallowed a YAC and escaped a flag-guard penalty. At this time, the AFC leads 44-36.
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Dejean completed a crucial strike before the first half. He appeared to pull the flag from Broncos WR Courtland Sutton just before Sutton made contact with the post with his head.
Highlights of the second half
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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco threw a touchdown pass to Chase early in the second half. Chase then celebrated Geddie.
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After Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff found Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua for a six-point play, Pickens climbed up the ladder in the back of the end zone and tapped his toe for two. This made the game a one-score game.
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After Sanders was drafted again by Bears CB Nahshon Wright, Hurts was linked to an unlikely partner in crime. He passed the ball back to Prescott, who threw it to Turpin for a touchdown. Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson scored two points to tie the score to 52-52.
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Chase shockingly gave up a potential go-ahead touchdown, setting the stage for the NFC to regain the lead. Prescott fired a missile at Pickens. His sideline score and subsequent two-point conversion stunned the NFC (Parsons).
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Chase threw another pass…this time the deflection led to Winfield’s interception. NFC takes full advantage of this. On fourth-and-goal, Goff beat the blitz with a throw to Hurts, who then threw a touchdown pass to Lamb that decided the game. Hurts then lined up and made the putt in slow motion before the clock hit three zeros.