The NFC took a 14-7 lead on the AFC on the first night of competition at the NFL’s Pro Bowl Games, and players from Alabama high schools and college had a lot to do with that.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (Alabama) opened the event for the NFC by going five-for-five on trivia questions about the Pro Bowlers. That gave his partner quarterback Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions 50 extra seconds in the Pass the Test event.
In that event, the six quarterbacks tried to hit targets carrying point values from one through five with the football. Goff used his extra throwing time to score 44 points to win the event, worth three points to the NFC.
In Helmet Harmony, Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney (Alabama) and defensive lineman Rashan Gary matched all three of their answers to help the NFC take the lead. The AFC needed Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Hoover, Alabama) and safety Kyle Hamilton to match all their answers, but they differed when asked: “Which teammate would you want by your side during a zombie apocalypse?”
In Relay Race, a four-by-40 event with a football instead of a baton, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama) handled the anchor leg in one of the NFC’s victories. Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama) ran for the AFC’s winning relay team. In the AFC’s two losses in the three relays, Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) and Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (Alabama) were part of botched handoffs.
In addition to the one point from Relay Race, the AFC got three points from New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (Wenonah, Alabama) when he won the Big Spike, an event that measured the force of a spiked football slammed down by six linemen.
The conferencea split the six points available in two dodgeball games, and the NFC won Satisfying Catches for three points.
The Pro Bowl Games continue at 2 p.m. CST Sunday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. ABC and ESPN will televise Sunday’s events.
Four events remain before the flag-football game. The score at the end of the 10 skills games will be the starting score for the flag-football game.
Fitzpatrick, Gibbs, Humphrey, Jacobs, Jeudy, McKinney, Surtain, Lions strong safety Brian Branch (Alabama) and Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (Clay-Chalkville) are scheduled to play in the flag football game.
Humphrey also is scheduled for Punt Perfect on Sunday. In Punt Perfect, one punter and one non-punter from each conference punt from the 35-yard line, attempting to place as many punts as possible in one minute (or 12 punts) into a set of six buckets in the end zone. Each bucket is worth one point, with every fourth punt worth three points.
Williams is set for Tug of War on Sunday. A five-on-five competition positioned above a foam pit, players are challenged to pull on the rope to move the opposing team in their direction.
