The Pro Bowl was never all that great, but its popularity among NFL fans is at an all-time low right now. An exhibition that once featured the best of the best competing head-to-head now features last resorts playing in a seven-on-seven flag football game. What's even weirder is that the game is set to take place on a Tuesday rather than the Sunday before the Super Bowl.
To be completely honest, events like dodgeball that take place before the actual game are more entertaining than the game itself, which is pathetic. Whether NFL fans like it or not, though, the Pro Bowl will continue to take place annually. Below is a look at where the Pro Bowl might be in the future and who NFL fans should expect to see participate sooner rather than later.
Pro Bowl history and past locations
The Pro Bowl has almost exclusively taken place in warm-weather environments, really since the 1950s, when it was played in Los Angeles. L.A. hosted the event from 1950 through the early 1970s, but then Hawaii took over as the host state from 1980 through 2009. Since then, though, it's been played all over the map.
Year | Stadium Name | Location | Host Team |
|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Sun Life Stadium | Miami, Florida | Miami Dolphins |
2011-2014 | Aloha Stadium | Honolulu, Hawaii | University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors |
2015 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Phoenix, Arizona | Arizona Cardinals |
2016 | Aloha Stadium | Honolulu, Hawaii | University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors |
2017-2020 | Camping World Stadium | Orlando, Florida | N/A |
2022-2023 | Allegiant Stadium | Las Vegas, Nevada | Las Vegas Raiders |
2024-2025 | Camping World Stadium | Orlando, Florida | N/A |
2026 | Moscone Center | San Francisco, California | N/A |
The game will have a different feel this year, as it's set to be played at an indoor facility in San Francisco on a Tuesday night.
Potential Pro Bowl locations for 2027 and beyond
As mentioned above, there's precedent when it comes to picking Pro Bowl locations. The NFL will almost always look at warm-weather cities. For a colder city like San Francisco, the game is held indoors. Assuming the games in 2027 and beyond are played outdoors, there's reason to believe the NFL is going to go back to its bread and butter.
This could mean Hawaii, and it could mean Orlando. It'd make sense to go back to either location, particularly Hawaii. It could also go back to Los Angeles at a stadium like Sofi Stadium, where the weather is nice and stars might want to show up. If the NFL really wants to grow the Pro Bowl, though, it could consider having this game played internationally.
Where this might be, I don't know. The NFL is set to play nine international games in the 2026 regular season, though, so it would not be surprising to see cities like London, Paris and Madrid pop up in rumors.
Pro Bowl Games: Player predictions for 2027-2029
There are a ton of young stars who have yet to participate in the Pro Bowl. Chances are, as they continue to get better, they'll find their way onto the Pro Bowl stage sooner rather than later.
WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers
Tetairoa McMillan was the Carolina Panthers' best wide receiver by far in his rookie year, recording 70 receptions for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns. Eclipsing 1,000 yards as a rookie in a less-than-perfect offensive situation is beyond impressive and shows what McMillan is capable of. He has a chance to put up some incredibly gaudy numbers in Carolina, and it'd be surprising if he didn't find himself on the Pro Bowl stage at some point.
EDGE James Pearce Jr., Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons had a down year, but James Pearce Jr. wasn't to blame for that. Pearce established himself as a defensive cornerstone in Atlanta, racking up 10.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 16 QB hits. Another double-digit sack year, which should be coming, could get him to the Pro Bowl.
WR Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
Chris Olave had a huge year, recording 100 receptions for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns for the New Orleans Saints this season, and he only got better with Tyler Shough, the Saints' quarterback of the future, under center. The NFC is stacked with talent at the wide receiver position, but Olave has the talent and the connection with the Saints' gunslinger to get him to the Pro Bowl if he can stay healthy.
QB Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
While the likes of Shedeur Sanders and Joe Flacco represent the AFC at the quarterback position, it's a bit shocking that Jordan Love, despite now having three rock-solid years as the Green Bay Packers' starter, has yet to make a Pro Bowl. The NFC has some elite quarterbacks, but Love, who was as efficient as he's ever been this season, is only getting better. His time is coming.
QB Fernando Mendoza
This is admittedly a dark-horse pick, but Fernando Mendoza will almost certainly head to the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. He'll enter an exciting situation with Klint Kubiak coaching him and talented players like Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty to play with. The pieces are there for Mendoza to have a big rookie year. Assuming one of the AFC's elite quarterbacks plays in next year's Super Bowl and a couple of others are either injured or just decide not to play, Mendoza has a clearer path to get to the Pro Bowl than you might think, deserved or not.
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