The 2023 Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon will bring together the league’s best talent not only to showcase their skills on the field, but also to highlight their philanthropic efforts by giving players the opportunity to give back and engage with youth throughout the week. Multiple events will take place across Southern Nevada and in the city of Henderson, with a focus on giving back to local Boys & Girls Clubs (BAGC) of Southern Nevada while engaging their members and various youth football initiatives in fun, football-themed activities. The league has partnered with BAGC to support key initiatives including the growth of flag football and most recently, their social justice programming through an Inspire Change grant.
The Pro Bowl Games will have cumulative scoring starting with skills competitions on Thursday, February 2, leading up to the first-ever AFC vs NFC Flag football games on Sunday, February 5. Scoring works in the following way:
- The winning conference of each skill competition earns three points towards their team’s overall score, with 24 total points available across the eight skills events.
- The winning conference from each of the first two Flag football games on Sunday will earn six points for their team, for a total of 12 available points.
- Points from the skills competitions and first two Flag games will be added together and will be the score at the beginning of the third and final Flag game, which will determine the winning conference for The Pro Bowl Games.
At the end of The Pro Bowl Games, the conference with the most points will be crowned the winner, and each player on the winning team will secure a donation to a local Boys & Girls Club in their hometown or NFL team market. All donations will be made by the NFL Foundation on behalf of the players of the winning team. As a result of the NFL’s Pro Bowl Games support of Boys & Girls Clubs of America during The Pro Bowl Games, the NFL Foundation will donate more than $300,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs across the country.
In addition to showcasing the NFL’s top players and their give-back efforts at The Pro Bowl Games, the league will highlight youth and high school football participants and coaches, while integrating current players and Legends in program activations throughout the week.
Community celebrations for The Pro Bowl Games will kick off on Tuesday, January 31st with the NFL GREEN CITY OF HENDERSON GREENING PROJECT AND THE PRO BOWL GAMES PRESS CONFERENCE. The NFL together with the City of Henderson, the Las Vegas Raiders and Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, will plant trees, remove turf and spread deconstructed granite for a xeriscape/low water use project. On Wednesday, volunteers and Clark County Parks will take part in a ceremony and tree planting project at The Nature Play Corner. The week’s community events will conclude on Friday with a PRO BOWL LEGACY event at Donald W. Reynold Boys & Girls Club where Pro Bowl players and NFL Legends will volunteer alongside local youth from Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada to refurbish the club.
A rundown of the Pro Bowl Games community events is below.
THE PRO BOWL GAMES PRESENTED BY VERIZON LEGACY PRESS CONFERENCE AND GREENING PROJECT
The NFL will start The Pro Bowl Games celebrations on Tuesday, January 31st at Acacia Demonstration Park with an NFL Green Kickoff press conference presented by Version at Henderson Boys & Girls Club beginning at 3:00 PM with volunteer check-in. Speakers will take part in a media moment at 3:30 PM followed by the event which will consist of volunteers planting large trees and painting fences.
NFL GREEN NATURE PLAY CORNER PRO BOWL GREENING EVENT
On Wednesday, February 1st, NFL Green initiatives will join Clark County Parks, local students and community volunteers to plant trees, grasses and pollinator attracting plants at the Clark County Wetlands Park’s new Nature Play Corner. The Nature Play Corner is a one-acre site that invites kids to create and explore nature using their imagination and prompts from interpretive signage.
Volunteers will check in at 9:00 AM and the event will open with a ceremonial tree planting at Nature Play Corner, Clark County Wetlands Park followed by a media moment at 9:30 AM. Additionally, in celebration of World Wetlands Day, volunteers will be planting large trees to expand shade and plant grasses and pollinator plants to attract wildlife.
PLAY FOOTBALL OPENING NIGHT
Play Football Opening Night is a youth- and high school-focused media event for all NFL Flag Championship teams on Thursday, February 2 from 3:30-5:30 PM PT at Allegiant Stadium. Over 2,100 players will have the opportunity to mix and mingle before the competition kicks off on Friday and Saturday. Participants will interact with NFL players – current and Legends.
PRO BOWL LEGACY EVENT
In partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, the NFL family will partake in hands-on volunteering by hosting a community event to refurbish various elements of the Donald W. Reynold Boys & Girls Club on Friday, February 3rd from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Local youth from Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada will be invited to attend and participate in activities alongside Pro Bowl Players and NFL Legends. Activities will be focused on refurbishing indoor and outdoor areas of Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club so that members have safe spaces to play. Specifically, the NFL provided a grant to fund the refurbishment of the club’s gym, revitalization of an outdoor garden, a full art room upgrade, and an outdoor mural. Members in attendance will also have the opportunity to participate in an NFL PLAY 60 clinic led by USA Football coaches.
As an extension of these activities, NFL partner, Little Caesars, has provided the Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club with additional funding to support the above projects. Additionally, Little Caesars Love Kitchen will be on-site at the event to serve pizza to the kids, volunteers and other event guests.
NFL FLAG CHAMPIONSHIPS TOURNAMENT
The NFL will host the largest to-date NFL FLAG Championship tournament at The 2023 Pro Bowl Games with 200 teams and over 2,100 players. Eight different countries will be represented, including Australia, Canada, China, Ghana, Germany, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand. Participants will range from the ages of 8–17-year-old boys and girls. The two-day event will consist of pool play and a single elimination tournament. The games will start on Friday, February 3rd at Heritage Park and will conclude with Championship game play on Sunday, February 5th.
AYF MIDDLE SCHOOL ALL-STAR GAME
On Saturday, February 4th, AYFs top middle school football players, will compete in an All-Star Football game to celebrate their matriculation. The game will be played at Green Valley High School.
NFL FLAG CHAMPIONSHIPS
NFL FLAG Championships will be held at The Pro Bowl Games for the third consecutive year as part of the week-long celebration of football across all levels.14U Boys & 17U Girls Championship games will compete during pre-game of The 2023 Pro Bowl Game on Sunday, February 5th at Allegiant Stadium. The 17U Girls Championship game will be televised on ESPN beginning at 10:00 am local time.
DON SHULA HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year award honors an exemplary football coach at the high school level who displays the integrity, achievement, and leadership demonstrated by Coach Shula. Coaches are nominated for the national award by all 32 NFL teams, and the winner is selected by a panel of judges including Tony Dungy, Peyton Manning, Scott Pioli, and more. The two winners will be invited to the Pro Bowl Games with on-field access on Sunday, February 5th, and will be recognized throughout the week.
ADDITIONAL INVOLVEMENT OF BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
Pro Bowl players and members of Boys & Girls Clubs will have the opportunity to engage in various initiatives throughout the week, including:
- Boys & Girls Clubs Skills Toolkit: Boys & Girls Clubs across the country will receive a toolkit that outlines skills challenges that mirror the skills the players will be partaking in. The goal is for BAGC youth to perform the challenges at their own clubs so they can help build excitement around the games while feeling like a part of them from afar.
- The Pro Bowl Games Skills Competitions: On Thursday, February 2nd, members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada will be invited to watch the NFL’s best players compete in several Pro Bowl skills competitions, which will be filmed live for the first time.
- The Pro Bowl Games: More than 400 members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada will be invited to attend game day on Sunday, February 5th, to watch their favorite players compete in competitions, the first-ever AFC vs NFC Flag football games and a major musical performance.
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