The Super Bowl is less than two weeks away. But before that, the 2025 Pro Bowl will be held on February 2nd at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Since the Eagles and Chiefs both reached Super Bowl LIX, the NFL recently announced roster replacements for the NFC and AFC. Philly’s Pro Bowlers will be replaced by Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, Vikings tackle Brian O’Neill, Panthers guard Robert Hunt, Saints center Erik McCoy, Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams, and Commanders inside linebacker Bobby Wagner. Meanwhile, Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith, Browns guard Joel Bitonio, and Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams will be substituted in for KC’s Pro Bowlers.
With the lineups all but set in stone, let’s look at which conference has the positional advantage over the other and who has a better roster.
📰 Table Of Contents
Offense
Quarterbacks
From a positional standpoint, I think the biggest gap between these two teams comes under center. The AFC has Buffalo’s Josh Allen backed up by Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson. In the NFC, Detroit’s Jared Goff will be the starter followed by Washington’s Jayden Daniels, and Minnesota’s Sam Darnold.
Before the season started, the NFC’s quarterbacks had only three combined Pro Bowls, and all of those appearances came from Jared Goff. On the other side, Jackson, Burrow, and Allen came into the 2024-25 campaign with six combined Pro Bowl selections, three total All-Pro selections, and two MVP awards.
The AFC’s quarterbacks also combined for 130 regular-season touchdowns compared to the 104 TDs from the NFC’s passers.
Advantage AFC
Running Backs
The AFC has a top-heavy group of running backs led by the Ravens’ Derrick Henry, who averaged 113 rushing yards per game. Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor was third in rushing yards per game. However, Texans tailback Joe Mixon only averaged 72.6 ground yards per game during the regular season.
The NFC’s backs are just as good at running the ball while also being fantastic pass-catchers. Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs, Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs, and Bijan Robinson had more than twice as many receiving yards as the AFC’s running back group (1,290 vs. 638).
Since Joe Mixon is the AFC’s biggest receiving threat out of the backfield, the NFC has an advantage in the running back department because its players can get things done on the ground and through the air.
Advantage NFC
Wide Receivers
Even with the absence of the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb and the Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown, I still like the NFC’s wide receiver room more than the AFC’s.
Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase was the best wideout in the NFL this year, leading the league in touchdowns, yards, and receptions. After that though, I don’t think the AFC’s other guys match up that well with the NFC’s secondary.
In my opinion, the NFC has the best wide receiver in the NFL in Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson. In what could be considered a “down year,” Jefferson finished the season with the second-most receiving yards per game (90.2). We also have to acknowledge Giants wideout Malik Nabers who was seventh in receiving yards despite missing two games.
On the back end, the NFC has an advantage too. I think Mike Evans and Washington’s Terry McLaurin will play better than Houston’s Nico Collins and Jacksonville’s Brian Thomas Jr.
Advantage NFC
Tight Ends
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will miss the Pro Bowl, so it’ll be up to Las Vegas rookie Brock Bowers and Miami’s Jonnu Smith to make up his production. Though Bowers had the best rookie season ever for a pass catcher, I think he will not put up the same numbers we saw during the regular season.
Simultaneously, the 49ers’ George Kittle earned his sixth Pro Bowl appearance and has been named an All-Pro five times in his career. I think that level of experience will be invaluable in a game where anything can happen.
Also, if we look at the backups, Arizona tight end Trey McBride had better numbers in terms of receptions and yards than Jonnu Smith.
Advantage NFC
Offensive Line
The NFC is dealing with more missing pieces along the offensive line than the AFC.
The NFC has already had to replace three starters after Detroit’s Penei Sewell and Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson elected not to participate in the game. The NFC will also be without its backup center, the Eagles’ Cam Jurgens.
While the AFC will be missing two starters, its offensive line is anchored by Buffalo’s Dion Dawkins, who looked like the best lineman in the NFL this year, and the Colts’ Quentin Nelson, who is starting in his seventh straight Pro Bowl. Also, one of the AFC’s offensive line replacements is the Browns’ Joel Bitonio, who has been named a Pro Bowler seven times.
Both offensive lines are good, but I have more faith in the consistency of the AFC’s guys.
Advantage AFC
Defense
Defensive Line
This is the hardest group to differentiate because both sides are incredibly talented.
The Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson and the Browns’ Myles Garrett finished first and second in sacks this season while Houston’s Danielle Hunter was tied for fifth.
On the NFC’s side, they have the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence II, who looked like the best defensive tackle in the NFL this season with nine sacks. He will be paired with San Francisco’s Nick Bosa and Dallas’ Micah Parsons.
The defensive ends are so evenly matched, that I turn to the defensive tackle group to determine which unit is better. In that case, I am leaning toward the NFC because their DTs (Lawrence, Tampa Bay’s Vita Vea, and Seattle’s Leonard Williams) had a better 2024/2025 than Cameron Heyward, Baltimore’s Nnamdi Madubike, and Quinnen Williams.
Advantage NFC
Outside Linebackers
The AFC has the NFL’s best outside linebacker in the Broncos’ Nik Bonitto, but with the Steelers’ T.J. Watt and the Chargers’ Khalil Mack not expected to play, I think the NFC has the better group.
Los Angeles’ Jared Verse is not only a Pro Bowler, but he will likely be the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. Additionally, Minnesota’s Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard started opposite of each other in every game the Vikings played, so they already have a report and know how to play complimentary defense with one another.
If T.J. Watt was playing, I would be tempted to pick the AFC here.
Advantage NFC
Inside Linebackers
The Ravens’ Roquan Smith and the Colts’ Zaire Franklin ranked first and fifth in total tackles during the regular season. They also combined for five sacks, three interceptions, and six forced fumbles.
San Fran’s Fred Warner and Washington’s Bobby Wagner did not have the same statistical output as those guys. They finished with fewer combined tackles, fewer sacks, fewer interceptions, and fewer forced fumbles.
The leadership Wagner and Warner provide is priceless, but the numbers show that the AFC has better inside linebackers.
Advantage AFC
Cornerbacks
Broncos cornerback and First-Team All-Pro Patrick Surtain II played like the best defensive back in the NFL this season. In fact, he posted an overall defensive grade of 83.8 according to PFF, the highest by a cornerback during the 2024-25 campaign.
At the same time, Houston’s Derek Stingley Jr. was lights-out in the postseason with three forced turnovers and five passes defended.
The same cannot be said for Minnesota’s Byron Murphy, who had zero turnovers and zero passes defended in the playoffs. Also, the Bears’ Jaylon Johnson trailed Surtain in PFF’s run defense grade, pass coverage grade, and overall grade.
With vets like Marlon Humphrey and Denzel Ward rounding things out, the AFC boasts the better cornerback room.
Advantage AFC
Safeties
This is another positional group where the AFC and NFC are very close.
The AFC’s safeties (Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton, Los Angeles’ Derwin James Jr., and Pittsburgh’s Minkah Fitzpatrick) have all proven their worth as pass-rushing specialists and strong run defenders. However, the numbers favor the NFC.
Green Bay’s Xavier McKinney, Arizona’s Budda Baker, and Detroit’s Brian Branch combined for more total tackles and more turnovers than the AFC’s safeties.
The AFC is better at taking down quarterbacks, but the NFC’s safety group is just a better overall unit.
Advantage NFC
Special Teams
There is never much punting during the Pro Bowl, so we have to mostly make this decision based on placekicking and returning.
Dallas’ KaVontae Turpin has only one more career return touchdown than Denver’s Marvin Mims Jr., so I give the AFC a slight advantage in that regard.
Though the Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey was sensational this year, Pittsburgh’s Chirs Boswell made 93.2% of his field goals while playing in an outdoor stadium. He also connected on 86.7% of his field goal attempts from 50+ yards.
I know both Turpin and Mims Jr. are good returners, but the AFC has the better kicker, regardless of field conditions.
Advantage AFC
Best Roster
The Pro Bowl is always a high-scoring affair. In that case, I have to side with the team that has the best quarterback room, which is obviously the AFC. Burrow, Jackson, and Allen are much better than Darnold, Goff, and Daniels.
Also, the AFC receivers’ play will be elevated because they will be catching passes from elite quarterbacks. With the NFC, I think their wide receivers and tight ends will have to play perfectly in order to cover up some of the inconsistencies that we have seen at times from Darnold and Goff.
The NFC has better pass rushers, but defensive linemen never really try all that hard in the Pro Bowl. That is not the case for defensive backs, who love to shut down the league’s best receivers whenever given the chance.
Top-tier quarterback play and a well-rounded secondary lead me to believe that the AFC has a better roster this year than the NFC.
Advantage AFC
