Once, the NFL Pro Bowl was one of the highest honors for a player. However, after numerous star players opted out of the 2025 Pro Bowl Games on Sunday, former perennial Pro Bowler and CBS NFL analyst JJ Watt ridiculed the dwindling significance of the event. A staggering 23 players from the original Pro Bowl rosters have already opted out, citing injury or what appears to be a general disinterest in participating.
The absence of star power is most apparent among the quarterbacks on the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster, with both Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen opting out. C.J. Stroud also declined an invitation as a replacement, as reported by Texans beat reporter DJ Bien Aime on X.
Don’t expect #Texans QB C.J. Stroud to be at the Pro Bowl.
He was invited as an alternate but declined per source.
I think this is the start of an offseason of him putting his head down and getting to work.
— DJ Bien-Aime (@Djbienaime) January 27, 2025
The end result? Russell Wilson and Drake Maye have been named as alternates for the AFC roster, stepping in for Allen and Jackson. While both Maye and Wilson have had their moments this season, many would find it hard to argue that either truly deserves to be in the game based on this year’s performances.
JJ Watt has publicly acknowledged the high number of withdrawals from the Pro Bowl Games, suggesting on social media that it might be more appropriately called the “Participation Bowl,” given that so much top-tier talent has dropped out. “When you get 5 alternates deep, just call it the Participation Bowl,” wrote Watt on X.
When you get 5 alternates deep, just call it the Participation Bowl.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) January 28, 2025
Recent viewership statistics seem to validate Watt’s new title. The NFL’s Pro Bowl Games averaged just 5.793 million viewers across the ESPN family of networks in 2024, marking the lowest viewership the NFL has seen for a Pro Bowl, aside from the 2021 virtual “Pro Bowl Celebration,” which did not feature a game due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The unfortunate truth is that many fans seem indifferent towards the Pro Bowl now, a result of the format change or possibly due to the overwhelming oversaturation of football content. This has led to players showing little inclination to take time from their offseason to participate.
