Pro Bowl Skills Showdown announced

PRO BOWL SKILLS SHOWDOWN ANNOUNCED

-- Airs Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN --

-- Pro Bowlers face off in an AFC vs. NFC skills showdown in Orlando --

-- NFL Legends Captains will lead the Pro Bowlers in unique competitions --

The Pro Bowl Skills Showdown, pitting AFC and NFC All-Stars against each other in unique competitions, will air during Pro Bowl Week on Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN, the NFL announced today.            

The Skills Showdown is a part of the re-imagined Pro Bowl Week, culminating in the 2017 Pro Bowl, which features a return to the traditional AFC vs. NFC format following three years using a revised, "unconferenced" structure.

The 2017 Pro Bowl Legends Captains, JEROME BETTIS and RAY LEWIS of the AFC and TONY GONZALEZ and CHARLES WOODSON of the NFC, will lead their respective squads.

Each team in the Skills Showdown will feature a mix of quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs.

Taking place at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando, the Skills Showdown will be produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions, producers of such shows as American Ninja Warrior and Hell’s Kitchen.     

Competitions include:

• Epic Pro Bowl Dodgeball: Pro Bowlers will compete in a game of dodgeball.
  
  
• Power Relay Challenge: Four team members will compete in a timed relay race.

• Precision Passing: Two players on each team will battle it out, trying to hit moving targets of varying size and distance.           
  
  
• Best Hands: Quarterback and wide receiver duos from each team will show off their skills, connecting on as many pass attempts as possible before time runs out.
  
  Fans are encouraged to join the conversation surrounding the new Pro Bowl Skills Showdown on social media using the hashtag #ProBowlSkills.
  
  The Pro Bowl rosters are determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group’s vote counts one-third toward determining the 88 All-Star players who will be selected to the Pro Bowl. The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its all-star teams. It was the first professional sports league to offer online all-star voting in 1995. 
  
  The Pro Bowl players will be announced on Tuesday, December 20 in a live primetime special on NFL Network. NFL players and coaches will cast their votes on Friday, December 16.
  
  Fan voting for the 2017 Pro Bowl will end tomorrow, Tuesday, December 13. Fans can vote online and on web-enabled mobile phones at www.NFL.com/probowlvote. Fans may also vote for who they want to see on the 2017 Pro Bowl roster via social media by using #ProBowlVote and the player’s first and last name on Twitter and Instagram. On Facebook, fans may comment on any official Pro Bowl Vote post by the NFL or a club. See official rules on how to vote at www.NFL.com/probowlvoterules.com.       
  
  The 2017 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 29, 2017 and simulcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Fans may visit NFL.com/ProBowlOnSale to purchase game tickets.