Alright, New York Giants fans, let's do a little exercise. Raise your hand if the Pro Bowl impacts your life in any meaningful way.
Keep your hand raised if the thought of watching the Pro Bowl has even crossed your mind.
And finally, keep your hand raised if you actually watch the Pro Bowl.
It’s amazing how quickly we go from a decent number of hands to practically zero. Yes, the Pro Bowl has lost its luster over the years, mainly due to players being more health-conscious than ever and not wanting to risk injury for a glorified All-Star game.
That’s why it wasn’t really much of a surprise when Jonathan Jones of The Athletic reported that, after years of noncompetitive play and constant tweaks, the NFL will no longer hold a Pro Bowl game. It’s officially official.
With the Honolulu holiday officially over, it appears that pass-rushing savant Brian Burns could be the last Giant to ever “suit up” and physically participate in the event... forever. Burns made his third Pro Bowl last year after an NFC-leading 16.5 sacks. It’s crazy to think that the 28-year-old could be the last of the G-Men to ever participate in the game.
Brian Burns could be the answer to a Giants trivia question forever
Burns was one of the best pass-rushers in the league last year. Along with his impressive sack total, he also accumulated 67 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and 31 QB hits. His breakout 2025 season earned him the 14th spot on the NFL's top 100 players list earlier this offseason.
Burns’ actual Pro Bowl “performance” wasn’t much to write home about. With no individual skills competition for edge rushers, his involvement was mostly limited to untelevised team events like dodgeball and a relay race. Truly riveting stuff. Nothing says “show how good you are at football” quite like a recess game.
It's important to note that the Pro Bowl game is going away, but the honor won't. Beginning with the 2026 season, 88 players will be named to the Pro Bowl class in late December, with no replacement selections.
As a fun walk through memory lane, here are the top 10 Giants with the most Pro Bowl appearances in the team's 102-year history:
Player | Number of Pro Bowl appearances |
|---|---|
Lawrence Taylor, LB | 10 |
Rosey Brown, T | 9 |
Harry Carson, LB | 9 |
Frank Gifford, HB-FL-DB-WR | 8 |
Emlen Tunnell, DB | 8 |
Michael Strahan, DE | 7 |
Jimmy Patton, DB | 5 |
Andy Robustelli, DE | 5 |
Jessie Armstead, LB | 5 |
Brad Van Pelt, LB | 5 |
It’ll take a Herculean effort to crack the top 10, but there are some players on the roster who have a legitimate shot. Left tackle Andrew Thomas -- if he stays healthy -- could easily find himself flying up the list. Burns could, too. Burns’ counterpart, Abdul Carter, has a realistic shot, as do rookie linebacker Arvell Reese and superstar receiver Malik Nabers. Even Isaiah Likely could make a run up the list with John Harbaugh as his head coach.
While it’ll be a bummer, in theory, that Giants fans won’t get to see any of these guys play in the Pro Bowl, if we’re operating in the Trust Tree, it was an absolute dud of a watch anyway. If Burns really was the last Giant to ever do it, going out with a little dodgeball might be the most fitting ending possible.
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