The 2021 Pro Bowl game was officially canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, but the National Football League (NFL) has decided to play on with EA Sports and their officially licensed football game Madden 21.
Despite the NFL being the only pro sports league to play a full season in 2020, the Pro Bowl was deemed too risky for actual play. The 2021 Pro Bowl was initially scheduled for Jan. 31st in Las Vegas but will now take place over a week with matchups featuring celebrities, NFL legends, and current players taking the sticks.
Current players selected to the Pro Bowl will be added to the game via downloadable content on multiple gaming consoles. This gives game owners the chance to play the studded all-star match at home as much as they want. Players can either set the matchup to a simulation or take control of the game by adding themselves into the mix and playing the computer or other opponents online.
Current Pro Bowl Rosters
*Indicates starters
AFC Pro Bowl Selection
| Position | Player | Team |
| QB | Patrick Mahomes* | Chiefs |
| QB | Josh Allen | Bills |
| QB | Deshaun Watson | Texans |
| RB | Derrick Henry* | Titans |
| RB | Nick Chubb | Browns |
| RB | Josh Jacobs | Raiders |
| WR | Tyreek Hill* | Chiefs |
| WR | Stefon Diggs* | Bills |
| WR | Keenan Allen | Chargers |
| WR | A.J. Brown | Titans |
| TE | Travis Kelce* | Chiefs |
| TE | Darren Waller | Raiders |
| FB | Patrick Ricard* | Ravens |
| T | Laremy Tunsil* | Texans |
| T | Eric Fisher* | Chiefs |
| T | Orlando Brown | Ravens |
| G | Quenton Nelson* | Colts |
| G | Joel Bitonio* | Browns |
| G | David DeCastro | Steelers |
| C | Maurkice Pouncey* | Steelers |
| C | Ryan Kelly | Colts |
| DE | Myles Garrett* | Browns |
| DE | Joey Bosa* | Chargers |
| DE | Frank Clark | Chiefs |
| DT | Chris Jones* | Chiefs |
| DT | Cameron Heyward* | Steelers |
| DT | Calais Campbell | Ravens |
| OLB | T.J. Watt* | Steelers |
| OLB | Bradley Chubb* | Broncos |
| OLB | Matt Judon | Ravens |
| ILB | Darius Leonard* | Colts |
| ILB | Tremaine Edmunds | Bills |
| CB | Xavien Howard* | Dolphins |
| CB | Tre’Davious White* | Bills |
| CB | Marlon Humphrey | Ravens |
| CB | Stephon Gilmore | Patriots |
| FS | Minkah Fitzpatrick* | Steelers |
| FS | Justin Simmons | Broncos |
| SS | Tyrann Mathieu* | Chiefs |
| LS | Morgan Cox* | Ravens |
| P | Jake Bailey* | Patriots |
| K | Justin Tucker* | Ravens |
| RS | Andre Roberts* | Bills |
| ST | Matthew Slater | Patriots |
NFC Pro Bowl Selection
| Position | Player | Team |
| QB | Aaron Rodgers* | Packers |
| QB | Russell Wilson | Seahawks |
| QB | Kyler Murray | Cardinals |
| RB | Dalvin Cook* | Vikings |
| RB | Alvin Kamara | Saints |
| RB | Aaron Jones | Packers |
| WR | Davante Adams* | Packers |
| WR | DeAndre Hopkins* | Cardinals |
| WR | DK Metcalf | Seahawks |
| WR | Justin Jefferson | Vikings |
| TE | T.J. Hockenson* | Lions |
| TE | Evan Engram | Giants |
| FB | Kyle Juszczyk* | 49ers |
| T | David Bakhtiari* | Packers |
| T | Trent Williams* | 49ers |
| T | Terron Armstead | Saints |
| G | Brandon Scherff* | Washington Football Team |
| G | Elgton Jenkins* | Packers |
| G | Andrus Peat | Saints |
| C | Jason Kelce* | Eagles |
| C | Frank Ragnow | Lions |
| DE | Cameron Jordan* | Saints |
| DE | Brandon Graham* | Eagles |
| DE | Chase Young | Washington Football Team |
| DT | Aaron Donald* | Rams |
| DT | Fletcher Cox* | Eagles |
| DT | Grady Jarrett | Falcons |
| OLB | Khalil Mack* | Bears |
| OLB | Za’Darius Smith* | Packers |
| OLB | Jason Pierre-Paul | Buccaneers |
| ILB | Bobby Wagner* | Seahawks |
| ILB | Fred Warner | 49ers |
| CB | Jalen Ramsey* | Rams |
| CB | Jaire Alexander* | Packers |
| CB | Marshon Lattimore | Saints |
| CB | James Bradberry | Giants |
| FS | Quandre Diggs* | Seahawks |
| SS | Budda Baker* | Cardinals |
| SS | Jamal Adams | Seahawks |
| LS | Tyler Ott* | Seahawks |
| P | Jack Fox* | Lions |
| K | Younghoe Koo* | Falcons |
| RS | Cordarrelle Patterson* | Bears |
| ST | Nick Bellore* | Seahawks |
The 2021 Pro Bowl will stream on the NFL YouTube channel, Twitter, Facebook, and the Madden NFL Twitch channel. The event will also be broadcast on the NFL Network. Michael Strahan and Charissa Thompson will host the event.
The AFC will be represented by current Texans QB Deshaun Watson, Titans RB Derrick Henry, Rapper Snoop Dog, and former NFL WR Keyshawn Johnson. The NFC will be represented by current Cardinals QB Kyler Murry, Seahawks S Jamal Adams, NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, and former RB Marshawn Lynch (Beast Mode). Each participant will take control of the game for one quarter, and participants will play from home with their current gaming consoles.
Betting on the 2021 NFL Pro Bowl will be just like betting on Madden 21 with a new set of factors to consider. Online sportsbooks will likely have many props available for the matchups and will probably feature simulated Pro Bowl events.
The best part about the virtual Pro Bowl is that bettors over the age of 18 can wager on the events, whereas most sports betting states only allow bettors over 21. 18+ sportsbooks operate legally in the USA by abiding by federal gambling laws and operating outside of the country.
Whether you decide to gamble, watch, or play the event at home, the 2021 NFL Pro Bowl will be one for the record books, and if it goes well, we will likely see more virtual Pro Bowl events in the future.
