[1] NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the move was made after looking at alternatives to strengthen the Pro Bowl.

Due to the change, players from the conference championship teams, who were going to play in the Super Bowl the following week—the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints—did not participate.

However, these players were still required to be on site for the Pro Bowl to collect a bonus payment from the NFL.

[4] NBC sportscaster Al Michaels was skeptical of the changes, telling the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that "the [NFL] thinks playing it before the Super Bowl will add to the buzz.

When contracts were renegotiated in 2009, Westwood One's broadcasts were added to FieldPass, and along with it, play-by-play of the Pro Bowl.