The Pro Bowl has been flag football since 2023 , when the NFL rebranded the event as the “Pro Bowl Games” and replaced the traditional tackle game with a 7‑on‑7 flag‑football matchup between the AFC and NFC.

How long it’s been flag

  • The first flag‑football Pro Bowl was played in February 2023 in Las Vegas.
  • As of February 2026 , that means the Pro Bowl has been flag football for three editions (2023, 2024, and 2025), or about three years.

Why the league switched

  • The NFL wanted to reduce injury risk in an exhibition game, since players had already been dialing back effort and tackling for years.
  • The new Pro Bowl Games format also added skills challenges (precision passing, dodgeball, best catch, etc.) to keep the week entertaining while leaning into speed and creativity instead of physical contact.

Quick snapshot

Season| Pro Bowl format| Notes
---|---|---
Before 2023| Tackle football (traditional game)| Full contact; declining player effort and fan interest. 57
2023| Flag football (7‑on‑7)| First year of “Pro Bowl Games” in Las Vegas. 169
2024–2026| Flag football + skills week| Continuation of non‑contact showcase with AFC vs. NFC flag game as centerpiece. 349

So in short: the Pro Bowl has been flag football since 2023 , making it three seasons (or roughly three years) as of early 2026.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.