The long-running joke when discu sing the NFL's Pro Bowl was that there hadn't been tackling in the game since the game's heyday in the mid-2000s.The NFL took that to the next level banning tackling from the game entirely by making it a flag football showcase.The decision to introduce flag football as part of the Pro Bowl was a nece sity. Players simply didn't want to go all out and take big hits in an exhibition game, as any injury could have a major impact on their future.The NFL decided to take tackling out of the game and try something new, and it appears that the flag football-centered "Pro Bowl Games" are here to stay.Here's what to know about the NFL's Pro Bowl decision and why there won't be tackling in the flag football version of the All-Star showcase in 2024.FOLLOW LIVE: When did the Pro Bowl become flag football?The Pro Bowl became a flag football game ahead of the 2023 iteration of the event. The league announced its decision to do away with the traditional football game as part of a revamped "Pro Bowl Games Malcolm Brogdon Jersey ."That makes the 2024 Pro Bowl Games the second to feature flag football as its main attraction.The Pro Bowl Games were designed to be "a week-long celebration of player skills featuring an exciting new format that spotlights flag football," as .Throughout the week, The Pro Bowl Games will also integrate new challenges where players showcase their football and non-football skills in unique competitions. The revamped programming allows the top stars show off their skills and celebrate their accomplishments in a fun, memorable way, surrounded by their families and fans.The changes to the Pro Bowl did not result in an increased audience in 2023. It averaged 6.2 million viewers, a decrease of 7.5 percent from the previous season, per .Even so, NFL teams viewed the changes as a win, as it ensured that their players were le s likely to suffer significant injuries with tackling eliminated from the games.MORE: When did the Pro Bowl stop tackling?Officially, the Pro Bowl outlawed tackling in 2023 when it made the switch to the flag football format. However, tackling had already gradually been worn out of the All-Star game over a 15-year period.The last big hit at the Pro Bowl occurred when the late, great Sean Taylor obliterated Bills punter Brian Moorman on a fake punt in 2007. In the years after that, the NFL gradually asked officials to blow whistles earlier and earlier as players expre sed a reluctance to play or give full effort in the All-Star showcase.The late, great Sean Taylor always played at 110%.Even in the Pro Bowl. (via @nflthrowback) NFL (@NFL) In the Pro Bowl's final years as a traditional football game, it was effectively officiated as a touch football game. Quarterbacks were considered sacked if the defense got to them and wrapped them up without throwing them to the ground, and players often went to the ground or out of bounds to avoid being wrapped up by defenders.After seeing that for a couple of seasons, the NFL ultimately opted to test out the flag football format. Aaron Holiday Jersey