NFL Pro Bowl 101: History, notable records, 2025 schedule - ESPN
The NFL Pro Bowl has had several iterations over the years. The league's annual star-studded exhibition was first held on Jan. 15, 1939, as the NFL All-Star Game, pitting the league's champion — the 1938 New York Giants — against a team of All-Stars. The first official Pro Bowl was played on Jan. 14, 1951, with the top players in the American/Eastern Conference taking on the best in the National/Western Conference. Cleveland Browns quarterback Otto Graham was named the MVP.


