Each year the Pro Bowl games have watered themselves down to the point that underperforming rookies are getting named to the Pro Bowl roster. Nonetheless, the once somewhat prestigious game has been reduced to non-contact flag football and it will kickoff this week, during its new time ahead of Super Bowl LX.
The Pro Bowl has traditionally been played the Sunday before the Super Bowl, but was moved to the Tuesday of Super Bowl week this year. With it being a flag football game and essentially anybody getting admittance into the Pro Bowl, it doesn’t quite have the reputation it used to. That said, the 7-on-7 showcase has now ingratiated itself into Super Bowl week.
How to watch the 2026 Pro Bowl Games
This year’s Pro Bowl will be played on Tuesday on ESPN. You’ll be able to watch with cable or streaming on ESPN and Disney+. Usually the Pro Bowl is played on regular TV, but with the schedule adjustment this year, it was moved to cable and streaming. You can also catch the Pro Bowl on Fubo and NFL+ for streaming as well.
- Date: Tues, Feb. 3, 2026
- Time: 8:00pm ET
- Location: Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Streaming service: NFL+, DisneyXD, Fubo
2026 Pro Bowl games format
When the NFL moved to a minimum contact version of the Pro Bowl and switched to flag football, they went with a 7-on-7 format. The games are still NFC vs. AFC, but now it’s just quarterbacks and skill players. The flag football game eliminated many of the offensive and defensive lineman, but added other skills games throughout the Pro Bowl for players to compete in.
The game itself features two 20-minute halves with a running clock all game except for the final two minutes of each half. The field is also cut in half at 50 yards long, creating the opportunity for high scoring and a faster-paced game.
Since 2023, Eli and Peyton Manning were the coaches of the AFC and NFC. This year, Steve Young and Jerry Rice are the coaches of the AFC and NFC teams. Touchdowns are still worth six points with teams having the ability to earn one point after a touchdown or two.
The rules for the 2026 Pro Bowl
Believe it or not, there are some strict rules both teams have to abide by to keep the game balanced, fun and ultimately limit the chance of injury. It should come as no surprise that the NFL has invested so heavily in flag football, a sport that will make its Olympic debut in 2028.
Offensive rules
- No pre-snap motion
- Must have a running back or tight end
- Four downs to reach midfield; four downs to score
- Multiple forward passes allowed
- Intentional grounding is legal
Defensive rules
- No blitzing
- Max three rushers
- Standard 4-3 base defense
The one exciting thing the reformed Pro Bowl format added is the skill competitions that take place alongside the Pro Bowl flag football game gives AFC and NFC teams a chance to score more points. So any points awarded during the skills competitions get added to a team’s final score to determine which conference wins the Pro Bowl.
Few details have been announced about the skills competitions, but in years past it has involved dodgeball, a relay race, tug-of-war and even passing accuracy.