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The 2021 NFL Pro Bowl will be played in Madden 21

The NFL will forego an in-person Pro Bowl, opting to host the event in Madden instead.

Donovan Erskine

November 18, 2020 11:00 AM

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As with all other professional sports leagues, it’s been a strange year for the NFL. Operating in the midst of a global pandemic has resulted in reduced fan attendance, canceled games, and players forced to sit out. Another casualty of this era of social distancing will be the Pro Bowl, where the league’s best players get together for a celebratory showdown. Instead of having the Pro Bowl in person, the NFL is teaming up with EA to hold the event in Madden NFL 21.

The NFL and EA announced the partnership on November 18 to coincide with the beginning of Pro Bowl voting. Originally planned to be played at Allegiant Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders new arena in their respective city, EA will work to adopt an entirely virtual format for the Pro Bowl festivities. 

“EA Sports and the NFL will create a week-long series of matchups featuring celebrities, NFL Legends, current players, and streamers playing as the official Pro Bowl rosters in Madden NFL 21,” the publisher shared with Shacknews. Presented by Verizon, the events will be streamed across various platforms. EA Sports will also be adding Pro Bowl-themed content to Madden NFL 21 in commemoration. 

“We are transforming the Pro Bowl for fans everywhere and bringing another amazing NFL experience to life in the way only Madden NFL can,” said Chris Bruzzo, Electronic Arts EVP of Marketing, Commercial & Positive Play. With the NFL putting an emphasis on avoiding unnecessary large gatherings, it makes sense that the traditional Pro Bowl is getting the axe.

Football fans can vote now for their favorite NFL stars to be a part of the Pro Bowl. Though we won’t be able to see them squad up in person, the accomplishment is still quite the same. For more updates on the 2021 Pro Bowl collaboration between the NFL and EA Sports, stay tuned to Shacknews.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_