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.

When the AFL and NFL merged in 1970, the exhibition was named the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players from the league's two respective conferences.

While the NFL experimented with a nonconference format from 2014 through 2016, the game largely had the same format until 2023. The NFL changed the Pro Bowl to the Pro Bowl Games that year, making it a weeklong skills competition with a noncontact flag football game closing out the week on Sunday.

Here's a look at the schedule for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games and some of the event's notable all-time records:

When are the 2025 Pro Bowl Games?

The 2025 Pro Bowl Games will air Thursday and Sunday.

How can fans watch?

ESPN will air the «Pro Bowl Skills Show» live Thursday from 7-8:30 p.m. ET. The 7-on-7 flag football game will be televised Sunday from 3-6 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC.

Where are the 2025 Pro Bowl Games?

The NFL will hold the 2025 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando, Florida, for the second straight year. The event will take place at Camping World Stadium.

Who has the most career Pro Bowl selections?

Tom Brady has the most career Pro Bowl selections, with 15 in his career, which spanned from 2000 to 2022. Brady had 14 selections while playing for the New England Patriots and one as a member of the Tampa