On Jan. 15, 1939, a "Pro All-Star Game" at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles pitted the New York Giants, the 1938 National Football League champions, against a team of all-stars from the rest of the league plus a few players from two independent teams, the Los Angeles Bulldogs and the Hollywood Stars.
There were four more such all-star games, two each in 1940 and 1942. Each year, the first game was played in January against the previous year's champion, the second in December against the newly-crowned NFL champion.
That series was discontinued in 1943. The idea was revived in 1951 with a game between all-star teams from the American and National Football Conferences. From 1954 through 1970, the teams represented the NFL's Eastern and Western Conferences. Since the merger of the American Football League into the NFL, the Pro Bowl has been played, again, by all-star teams from the American and National Football Conferences.
The game was formerly rotated among NFL stadiums, but since 1980 it has been played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.
The Pro Bowl's Most Valuable Player Award was first presented in 1951. From 1957 through 1971, two awards were presented, to a back and a lineman, and in 1972 there awards for an offensive player and a defensive player. Since 1973, there's been a single MVP award.
Top of page
| (Click on year to see rosters) |
| Year | Result |
| 1939 | NY Giants 13, All-Stars 10 |
| 1940 (Jan.) | Green Bay 16, All-Stars 7 |
| 1940 (Dec.) | Chicago Bears 28, All-Stars 14 |
| 1942 (Jan.) | Chicago Bears 35, All-Stars 24 |
| 1942 (Dec.) | All-Stars 17, Washington Redskins 14 |
| 1943-50 | Not played |
| 1951 | American, 28-27 |
| 1952 | National, 30-13 |
| 1953 | National, 27-7 |
| 1954 | East, 20-9 |
| 1955 | West, 26-19 |
| 1956 | East, 31-30 |
| 1957 | West, 19-10 |
| 1958 | West, 26-7 |
| 1959 | East, 28-21 |
| 1960 | West, 38-21 |
| 1961 | West, 35-31 |
| 1962 | West, 31-30 |
| 1963 | East, 30-20 |
| 1964 | West, 31-17 |
| 1965 | West, 34-14 |
| 1966 | East, 36-7 |
| 1967 | East, 20-10 |
| 1968 | West, 38-20 |
| 1969 | West, 10-7 |
| 1970 | West, 16-13 |
| 1971 | NFC, 27-6 |
| 1972 | AFC, 26-13 |
| 1973 | AFC, 33-28 |
| 1974 | AFC, 15-13 |
| 1975 | NFC, 17-10 |
| 1976 | NFC, 23-20 |
| 1977 | AFC, 24-14 |
| 1978 | NFC, 14-13 |
| 1979 | NFC, 13-7 |
| 1980 | NFC, 37-27 |
| 1981 | NFC, 21-7 |
| 1982 | AFC, 16-13 |
| 1983 | NFC, 20-19 |
| 1984 | NFC, 45-3 |
| 1985 | AFC, 22-14 |
| 1986 | NFC, 28-24 |
| 1987 | AFC, 10-6 |
| 1988 | AFC, 15-6 |
| 1989 | NFC, 34-3 |
| 1990 | NFC, 27-21 |
| 1991 | AFC, 23-21 |
| 1992 | NFC, 21-15 |
| 1993 | AFC, 23-20 (OT) |
| 1994 | NFC, 17-3 |
| 1995 | AFC, 41-13 |
| 1996 | NFC, 20-13 |
| 1997 | AFC, 26-23 (OT) |
| 1998 | AFC, 29-24 |
| 1999 | AFC, 23-10 |
| 2000 | NFC, 51-31 |
| 2001 | AFC, 38-17 |
| 2002 | AFC, 38-30 |
| 2003 | AFC, 45-20 |
| 2004 | NFC, 55-52 |
| 2005 | AFC, 38-27 |
| 2006 | NFC, 23-17 |
| 2007 | AFC, 31-28 |
| 2008 | NFC, 42-30 |
Top of page
| Year | Player, Team, Pos |
| 1951 | Otto Graham, Cleveland, QB |
| 1952 | Dan Towler, LA Rams, HB |
| 1953 | Don Doll, Detroit, DB |
| 1954 | Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia, LB |
| 1955 | Billy Wilson, San Francisco, E |
| 1956 | Ollie Matson, Chicago Cards, HB |
| 1957 | B: Bert Rechichar, Baltimore |
| | L: Ernie Stautner, Pittsburgh |
| 1958 | B: Hugh McElhenny, San Francisco |
| | L: Gene Brito, Washington |
| 1959 | B: Frank Gifford, NY Giants |
| | L: Doug Atkins, Chicago |
| 1960 | B: Johnny Unitas, Baltimore |
| | L: Big Daddy Lipscomb, Pittsburgh |
| 1961 | B: Johnny Unitas, Baltimore |
| | L: Sam Huff, NY Giants |
| 1962 | B: Jim Brown, Cleveland |
| | L: Henry Jordan, Green Bay |
| 1963 | B: Jim Brown, Cleveland |
| | L: Big Daddy Lipscomb, Pittsburgh |
| 1964 | B: Johnny Unitas, Baltimore |
| | L: Gino Marchetti, Baltimore |
| 1965 | B: Fran Tarkenton, Minnesota |
| | L: Terry Barr, Detroit |
| 1966 | B: Jim Brown, Cleveland |
| | L: Dale Meinhart, St. Louis |
| 1967 | B: Gale Sayers, Chicago |
| | L: Floyd Peters, Philadelphia |
| 1968 | B: Gale Sayers, Chicago |
| | L: Dave Robinson, Green Bay |
| 1969 | B: Roman Gabriel, LA Rams |
| | L: Merlin Olsen, LA Rams |
| 1970 | B: Gale Sayers, Chicago |
| | L: George Andrie, Dallas |
| 1971 | B: Mel Renfro, Dallas |
| | L: Fred Carr, Green Bay |
| 1972 | O: Jan Stenerud, Kansas City |
| | D: Willie Lanier, Kansas City |
| 1973 | O. J. Simpson, Buffalo, RB |
| 1974 | Garo Yepremian, Miami, PK |
| 1975 | James Harris, LA Rams, QB |
| 1976 | Billy Johnson, Houston, KR |
| 1977 | Mel Blount, Pittsburgh, CB |
| 1978 | Walter Payton, Chicago, RB |
| 1979 | Ahmad Rashad, Minnesota, WR |
| 1980 | Chuck Muncie, New Orleans, RB |
| 1981 | Eddie Murray, Detroit, PK |
| 1982 | Kellen Winslow, San Diego, TE |
| TIE | Lee Roy Selmon, Tampa Bay, DE |
| 1983 | Dan Fouts, San Diego, QB |
| TIE | John Jefferson, Green Bay, WR |
| 1984 | Joe Theismann, Washington, QB |
| 1985 | Mark Gastineau, NY Jets, DE |
| 1986 | Phil Simms, NY Giants, QB |
| 1987 | Reggie White, Philadelphia, DE |
| 1988 | Bruce Smith, Buffalo, DE |
| 1989 | Randall Cunningham, Philadelphia, QB |
| 1990 | Jerry Gray, LA Rams, CB |
| 1991 | Jim Kelly, Buffalo, QB |
| 1992 | Michael Irvin, Dallas, WR |
| 1993 | Steve Tasker, Buffalo, ST |
| 1994 | Andre Rison, Atlanta, WR |
| 1995 | Marshall Faulk, Indianapolis, RB |
| 1996 | Jerry Rice, San Francisco, WR |
| 1997 | Mark Brunell, Jacksonville, QB |
| 1998 | Warren Moon, Seattle, QB |
| 1999 | Ty Law, New England, CB |
| TIE | Keyshawn Johnson, NY Jets, WR |
| 2000 | Randy Moss, Minnesota, WR |
| 2001 | Rich Gannon, Oakland, QB |
| 2002 | Rich Gannon, Oakland, QB |
| 2003 | Ricky Williams, Miami, RB |
| 2004 | Marc Bulger, St. Louis, QB |
| 2005 | Peyton Manning, Indianapolis, QB |
| 2006 | Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay, LB |
| 2007 | Carson Palmer, San Diego, QB |
| 2008 | Adrien Peterson, Minnesota, RB |
Top of page
|
|
