NFL Pro Bowl cancelled, will be replaced by talent show

NEW YORK CITY—After yet another Pro Bowl that lacked defense, intrigue or an audience that afterwards said, “Man, I'm glad I spent three hours watching that,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will finally pull the plug on the annual all-star game.

“It's time to let it go,” said Goodell of the 43-year tradition. “The Pro Bowl is not representative of what we would like a game of the NFL's finest athletes to be, but we are proud to announce our new replacement for the Pro Bowl: The NFL Talent Show.”

Unlike the Pro Bowl, The NFL Talent Show won't be just an event that happens every year before the Super Bowl. It will start this offseason as each of the NFL's 32 teams pick one player or group of players to represent their franchise.

“We'll follow the steadfast formula of great shows like American Idol, America's Got Talent, and MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge,” said Goodell. “This will be a show that goes on at a tortoise pace as it slowly eliminates contestants until the clear, obvious winner(s) shockingly finishes in second.”

Each contestant will have to get through the first team cuts, the divisional rounds and conference play to reach the final four finale in Hawaii that will air during the week before the big game.

Scenes from the final Pro Bowl 

“We think it'll be a good way to showcase the talents of these athletes outside the gridiron,” said Goodell, “and that they do more than score touchdowns. Oh, man, I'm going to have to write that down as a potential tag line. I'm a freaking genius! Now, I get why people call me GODell. So true.”

Talents to watch for early in the competition include: Matt Bryant's ability to talk to alligators, Randy Moss' ability to do addition and subtraction without the use of a calculator, Von Miller's dance moves, Arian Foster's slam poetry, Antonio Cromartie's talent of impregnating random women, Eli Manning's impressions of various athletes/pop culture icons and Detroit Lions defensive linemen Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril's deadly Double Dutch foursome.

“I think people are really going to be surprised at the level of talent these guys have off the football field,” said Goodell. “Even teams that seemingly have no talent on the field like the Raiders and Jaguars have guys that can do amazing things off of it!”

At least one NFL player seems excited for this new development. “I have to admit that though I skipped the Pro Bowl with a minor injury,” said Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller, “there's no way I would have missed an opportunity to dance.”

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that three judges for the show will be chosen from the following pool put together by Goodell: Goodell, Suzy Kolber, Keyshawn Johnson, Erin Andrews, Tom Jackson, JC Chasez, Shannon Sharpe, Bryant and Greg Gumbel, Gus Johnson, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson.

At press time, the only potential judges that had shown any interest in joining the show were Goodell, JC Chasez and Chad Johnson, who volunteered his services without being asked.


Who do you think wins it all with their talent? One of the early favorites? Give us your suggestions below.