Goodell may cancel Pro Bowl

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NEW YORK, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said on his satellite radio show if the Pro Bowl doesn't improve in quality he will still consider canceling it.

Goodell considered canceling last season's all star meeting in Hawaii played the week before the Super Bowl because marquee players on the two Super Bowl-bound teams don't show, along with many other players who decline the invitation due to injury. Those who do show up participate in a largely defense-free, low impact affair.

"It's really tough to force competition and after a long season to ask those guys to go out and play at the same level that they play is pretty tough," Goodell said on his SiriusXM show "Town Hall with Roger Goodell." "And I made it very clear last year because I really thought the quality of the game last year was way below standards and if we're going to play like that we should just eliminate the game."

Last year the players appealed to Goodell, asking him not to cancel the Pro Bowl, pledging a better product and a more competitive exhibition and the commissioner agreed, NFL.com reported Monday.

In comments made to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, Goodell said he still has reservations.

"I was leaning that way," Goodell said. "The players asked if they could take another crack at it and they wanted to try to work to make the game more competitive. Obviously, I support that but if we can't accomplish that kind of a standard I'm inclined not to play it any longer."