NFL legend Jackie Slater welcomes Pro Bowl change: 'I think it’s absolutely overdue'

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Jackie Slater was a seven-time Pro Bowler for the Los Angeles Rams during his Hall of Fame career and when he heard the NFL made changes to the game earlier this week, he welcomed it.

Slater, who was a third-round pick out of Jackson State in 1976, played in 259 games for the Rams, including one appearance as a member of the St. Louis Rams in his final season in 1995. In his day, Slater would have to match up against some of the league’s most prolific pass rushers like Mark Gastineau, Howie Long, Jack Lambert and others in the NFL’s All-Star event.

Over the last few years, the Pro Bowl had turned into an event for fun rather than conference supremacy. At one point, the NFL even ditched the conference matchups altogether, opting for a fantasy draft to determine the teams.

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Former Rams offensive tackle Jackie Slater attends the NFL Hall of Fame Health Kick-Off Super Bowl Reception at Sony Pictures Studios on Feb. 9, 2022, in Culver City, California.  (Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

The NFL announced a flag-football game will take place instead of the actual full-contact matchup and a weeklong competition series will occur as well – all happening in Las Vegas.

Slater told Fox News Digital in a recent interview, it’s about time.

"I think it’s absolutely overdue," Slater said. "It was a disgraceful display of our sport for a number of years and fortunately it wasn’t a disgrace when I was playing. When I was playing this game, you showed up as an offensive lineman you didn’t have no fun all week long because you had to deal with Howie Long, Mark Gastineau, you had to deal with Reggie White, you had