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The Pro Bowl gets underway on Sunday in Hawaii!
After some shuffling due to injuries and the elimination of New England Patriots players, we now have a final AFC starting lineup ready to go for the 2012 Pro Bowl.
Ben Roethlisberger will get the start at quarterback now that Tom Brady is out. His backfield will consist of Maurice Jones-Drew and FB Vonta Leach.
He'll also see some familiar faces lining up at wide receiver, Cincy WR A.J. Green and Steelers wideout Mike Wallace. Antonio Gates will be the tight end.
Center Nick Mangold anchors an offensive line that includes tackles Joe Thomas and D'Brickashaw Ferguson as well as Baltimore Ravens guards Ben Grubbs and Marshal Yanda.
On the defensive side of the ball, the starting line consists of Elvis Dumervil, Dwight Freeney and Richard Seymour. The linebackers will be Tamba Hali, Von Miller and Ray Lewis.
Champ Bailey and Darrelle Revis will back them up as corners while Eric Weddle and Brian Dawkins will start at the safety spots.
The Raiders will do all the kicking here with punter Shane Legler and placekicker Sebastian Janikowski. Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown will return kicks.
For updates leading up to the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, keep it with SB Nation's NFL hub.
The 2012 Pro Bowl will take place at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii on Sunday, January 29. The annual All-Star game nicely bridges the gap between the final round of playoffs and Super Bowl XLVI, so NFL fans don't have to spend a week without football.
During practices this week, the AFC and NFC players took the time to model the 2012 Pro Bowl uniforms for their respective teams. Since the game takes place in Hawaii and the NFL doesn't for one second want you to forget that, there were the requisite floral leis and hula dancer-esque models, also decked out in the team colors. Cam Newton in particular seemed to be having an especially good time.
In sticking with the long-time traditions of the two conferences, the NFC team will be in blue and the AFC team will be in red. Check out the pictures below to get a look at the uniforms.
For updates leading up to the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, stick with SB Nation's NFL hub.
When the AFC takes the field for the 2012 Pro Bowl on Sunday, Houston Texans' coach Gary Kubiak will lead the charge. It's not quite like leading a team onto the field during the Super Bowl, but its a decent consolation prize.
Kubiak's Texans made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history this season, finishing 10-6 and winning the AFC South. They beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card Round but succumbed to the Baltimore Ravens in the Regional Round.
Kubiak is 47-49 in six seasons with Houston and the team has finished .500 or better in five of them. Previous to working with the Texans, he was a longtime Denver Broncos assistant and offensive coordinator, not to mention a player on three of their Super Bowl teams.
Kubiak brings Offensive Coordinator Rick Dennison and Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips with him to run the respective units.
For updates leading up to the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, keep it with SB Nation's NFL hub.
A select number of the NFL's best players will be making a trip to Hawaii to participate in this Sunday's AFC-NFC Pro Bowl. However, it's not just the players who get rewarded for good seasons, some of the league's top coaches get the chance to be there as well.
For the NFC, the Green Bay Packers' coaching staff will have the honor of leading the conference's best players into battle. Packers head coach Mike McCarthy will also have head coach duties on Sunday.
McCarthy has been the head coach for Green Bay since 2006, compiling a 63-33 record. Last year, he led the Packers to a Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2011-2012, the Packers' dynamic offense led them to a 15-1 regular season which ended in disappointing fashion, losing at home to the New York Giants in the Divisional Round.
Dom Capers will lead the defense while the offensive coordinator spot is a bit more fluid since Packers' OC Joe Philbin is now Miami Dolphins head coach.
For updates leading up to the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, keep it with SB Nation's NFL hub.
A select number of the NFL's best players will be making a trip to Hawaii to participate in this Sunday's AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, though the league's annual all-star game will be lacking some of its star power once again due to a variety of factors.
This will mark the third consecutive year in which the Pro Bowl will be held one week prior to the Super Bowl, thereby removing members of the New England Patriots and New York Giants that were chosen to play in Sunday's exhibition from their conference respective rosters once those teams qualified for the upcoming championship game.
The AFC has been hit particularly hard by the rule, as the Patriots had seven starters and eight players overall invited to Honolulu. That list included such notable names as quarterback Tom Brady, wide receiver Wes Welker and tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Following New England's defections, Baltimore had led the AFC corps with eight selections before four Ravens (running back Ray Rice, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and safety Ed Reed) all pulled out shortly after the club's loss to the Patriots in this past Sunday's conference championship. That leaves AFC West champion Denver with a team-high six players, although popular quarterback Tim Tebow was not among those named.
Brady's departure elevates Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger to the starting signal-caller's post for the AFC, which will be coached by Houston's Gary Kubiak, with Rogers first to lead the NFC offense before likely giving way to New Orleans record-setter Drew Brees.
For updates leading up to the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, keep it with SB Nation's NFL hub.
The NFL's best players will be making a trip to Hawaii to participate in this Sunday's AFC-NFC Pro Bowl. The NFC will field an impressive array of all-stars.
San Francisco's overtime loss to the Giants last weekend may have turned out to be the NFC's gain, as a conference-best eight 49ers had been picked to the initial squad and just two New York players -- quarterback Eli Manning and defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul -- had made the list.
San Francisco will ultimately send six representatives to the contest, with running back Frank Gore, cornerback Carlos Rogers and safety Dashon Goldson all withdrawing after citing injuries and veteran long snapper Brian Jennings recently added as a need player. Six Green Bay Packers, headlined by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, will also be on the final NFC roster, with head coach Mike McCarthy and his staff directing the team.
The selected NFC starting defense won't be undergoing a whole lot of changes, with Rogers the lone honoree to bow out of the contest. The 49ers will still have a presence on the unit, however, with disruptive tackle Justin Smith (58 tackles, 7.5 sacks) and inside linebacker Patrick Willis (97 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) each receiving well-deserved citations for their contributions to one of the NFL's stingiest defenses in 2011.
Even without Pierre-Paul, the conference won't be bereft of top-notch pass rushers, as Minnesota end Jared Allen (66 tackles, 1 INT) led the league with 22 sacks and Dallas outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (58 tackles, 19.5 sacks) and Philadelphia end Jason Babin (40 tackles, 18 sacks) finished second and third, respectively, in that category. Rogers will be replaced in the opening lineup by Chicago's Charles Tillman (99 tackles, 1 sack, 3 INT) in the veteran corner's first trip to Honolulu, while 35-year-old Charles Woodson (74 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 INT) garnered his eighth career Pro Bowl nod on the opposite side and joins outside linebacker and Green Bay teammate Clay Matthews (50 tackles, 6 sacks, 3 INT) as a starter.
Aaron Rodgers (4643 passing yards, 45 TD, 6 INT) will the first up out of an absolutely loaded NFC crop of quarterbacks after setting an new NFL single-year standard with a 122.5 passer rating. The prolific Brees (5476 passing yards, 46 TD, 14 INT), meanwhile, shattered Dan Marino's 27-year-old mark for passing yards in his banner 2011 campaign, while the dynamic Newton (4051 passing yards, 21 TD, 17 INT) threw for more yards than any rookie in league history.
That stellar trio won't have the luxury of working with perhaps the best receiver in the game today, however, with Detroit superstar Calvin Johnson declining to attend because of a sore Achilles tendon, though the combo of Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald (80 receptions, 1411 yards, 8 TD) -- the 2009 Pro Bowl MVP -- and Carolina veteran Steve Smith (79 receptions, 1394 yards, 7 TD) alongside New Orleans tight end and first-time selection Jimmy Graham (99 receptions, 1310 yards, 11 TD) ensures there will be more than enough elite targets to go around.
The backfield also possesses two quality pass-catchers in Philadelphia first-timer LeSean McCoy (1309 rushing yards, 48 receptions, 20 total TD) and Chicago's Matt Forte (997 rushing yards, 52 receptions, 4 total TD), slated to participate despite missing the final four weeks of the regular season with a sprained knee. Graham is one of three Saints chosen as starters, along with the stout guard tandem of Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans.
For updates leading up to the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, keep it with SB Nation's NFL hub.
It's pretty impossible to not like Cam Newton. In addition to his play on the field -- he was very, very good this year, if you missed it -- Newton has a personality that just makes him a star. For example...
Sideways hat, leggings, shorts pulled way up. Yep, it's awesome.
Edit: Wait, found a better one. It's after the jump.
The 2012 Pro Bowl, the NFL's post-season all-star game, will take place in Honolulu on January 29th. And while we're still getting used to some of the recent changes with the game, some things haven't changed since the beginning.
Officially, the game has been called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl since the 1970 merger, matching the top players in the American Football Conference (AFC) against those in the National Football Conference (NFC).
The first Pro All-Star Game goes all the way back to the 1938 season and was played on January 15, 1939 at Los Angeles's Wrigley Field. While the game was played sporadically after that, it didn't become a fixture until 1951, when the newly rechristened Pro Bowl played at various venues before being held at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii for 30 consecutive seasons from 1980 to 2009.
Last season, the game was played at Sun Life Stadium and site of Super Bowl XLIV, on January 31. It was the first time ever that the Pro Bowl was held before the championship game, which also meant that all-stars from the Super Bowl participating Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers could not participate.
The same is true for this year's all-stars from the New England Patriots and New York Giants. However, this year's contest is back in Hawaii.
Because the game is an exhibition and wanting to try and cut down on injuries, there are a few differences between a Pro Bowl game and a normal NFL game. Some of the rules changes include, no motion or shifting by the offense, the offense must have a tight end in all formations, intentional grounding is legal, no blitzing and teams are not allowed to rush a kick of any kind.
Last year, the NFC won 55-41 and Washington Redskins corner DeAngelo Hall was named MVP.
For updates leading up to the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, keep it with SB Nation's NFL hub.
Eli Manning's playoff performance may have vindicated those who voted for the New York Giants' quarterback, who was largely viewed as undeserving over rookie sensation Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers, but it no longer matters. Newton will be replacing Manning in Honolulu, bringing his ridiculous stats (4,051 passing yards, 21 TDs, 706 rushing yards, 14 rushing TDs) along with him.
Joining Newton as a replacement for a Super Bowl-bound Giant player will be Julius Peppers replacing Jason Pierre-Paul. The Patriots were set to send eight players to the Pro Bowl, at the top of the list was Tom Brady, who will also be replaced by a rookie; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton.
Two other Bengals, who enjoyed their best season in years, will join Dalton and A.J. Green in Hawaii — tight end Jermaine Gresham, replacing Rob Gronkowski, and defensive tackle Geno Atkins, replacing Vince Wilfork. Two San Diego Chargers will also be on their way, wide receiver Vincent Jackson, replacing Wes Welker, and running back Ryan Mathews, replacing Ray Rice, who bowed out after a tough end of the season.
Other replacements: Baltimore Ravens guard Ben Grubbs will replace Logan Mankins, New York Jets guard Brandon Moore takes the place of Brian Waters and Jacksonville Jaguars special teamer Montell Owens replaces Matthew Slater. In other, more hilarious news, Ben Roethlisberger, who could barely walk just two weeks ago when the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, will play, preventing Tim Tebow from taking his spot. Take that, media.
For updates leading up to the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, keep it with SB Nation's NFL hub.
The NFL's 2012 Pro Bowl rosters were announced Tuesday, and Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was not included in the NFC's backfield, which currently features LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte and Frank Gore. Lynch still has a chance to make the trip to Hawaii, though, after being named a second alternate, according to the Seattle Times.
At least two players will have to bow out before Lynch is able to play, but Forte, for one, is highly unlikely to play. He hasn't suited up for a game since injuring his knee on Dec. 4, and the Bears just placed him on the Injured Reserve. Even if his knee were healthy, it's unlikely he'd risk further injury while seeking a new contract.
While the NFL doesn't release an official list of alternates, it seems likely the NFC's first alternate at running back is the Vikings' Adrian Peterson, who obviously isn't fit to play after suffering a torn ACL and MCL in Week 16. Like Lynch, Peterson has scored 13 total touchdowns, tied for second among NFC running backs behind McCoy's 20. It's possible the Falcons' Michael Turner is the first alternate, but he's scored just nine touchdowns while averaging fewer yards per game than either Peterson or Lynch. So with Forte and Peterson out, Lynch seems like a virtual lock to get an invitation.
Lynch started the season slow before shifting gears into his trademark "Beast Mode," scoring 11 total touchdowns in his last nine games while topping 100 rushing yards six times. Not even the vaunted 49ers' run defense could slow him down last week: he was the first runner in over two years to crack triple-digits against San Francisco, and the first to score a rushing touchdown all season. He's Seattle's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2005, and he'll add to his 1,118 rushing yards in Week 17.
The 2012 NFL Pro Bowl results have been released, but not everyone on the initial list of the Pro Bowl will actually play in the game. Often, players will bow out of the Pro Bowl to play in the Super Bowl or because of lingering injuries or injuries suffered in the playoffs. To replace these players the NFL will name alternates. The alternates for the NFC side of the Pro Bowl roster are Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton.
Newton is the first alternate for the NFC and will likely play in the game, according to the Charlotte Observer. Newton has had an impressive rookie campaign, even though his team has won many games. On the season, Newton has thrown for 3,893 passing yards with 20 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions. Newton also added 673 rushing yards with 14 rushing touchdowns, for a total of 34 touchdowns on the season.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is also an alternate, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. It's unsure what number alternate Stafford is, but like Newton has should have a good chance to make it into the game. On the season, Stafford had 4,518 passing yards with 36 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions. He's led the Lions to their first playoff appearance in quite some time.
The official rosters for the 2012 Pro Bowl have been announced and some interesting names made the list and some interesting ones missed out. Some players who missed out may ultimately get to play in the Pro Bowl, however, depending on injuries and which teams make the Super Bowl. Two players who could wind up in the game at quarterback in such a case are Cincinnati Bengals rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.
Dalton, named the AFC's first QB alternate, was a second-round selection of the Bengals in the 2011 NFL Draft and started all 16 games for the Bengals, leading them to a current record of 9-6 and still in the hunt for the playoffs. On the season, Dalton has 3,199 passing yards with 20 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions.
Tebow, named the AFC's second QB alternate, has started just 10 games this season for the Broncos, taking over for now Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Kyle Orton in Week 7. Tebow led a string of last-minute drives to win games as the Broncos currently sit at 8-7 and in contention for the playoffs. On the season, Tebow has thrown for 1,669 yards with 12 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He's also added 644 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.
Either Tebow or Dalton have a very good chance of playing in the game, as history has shown one or two quarterbacks will typically bow out of the game due to playing in the Super Bowl or having suffered an injury.
The AFC Pro Bowl roster is, unsurprisingly, loaded with members of the New England Patriots on offense. Their passing attack led by Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker has been fantastic this season, and those three were unsurprisingly among the leaders in fan voting before the roster announcements. The Patriots led all AFC teams with eight selections, with Logan Mankins, Brian Waters, Andre Carter, Vince Wilfork and Matthew Slater also being honored. Arian Foster was the leading vote-receiving running back, while the offensive line was a mixed bag.
The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers had a number of the leading vote-receiving players on defense, though Darrelle Revis is just as popular as any player on either of those teams. The usual suspects like Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed received a high number of votes after putting together great seasons.
Note: * indicates starter, number of Pro Bowl appearances appears in paranthesis
QB: *Tom Brady (7), Ben Roethlisberger (2), Philip Rivers (4)
RB: *Ray Rice (2), Maurice Jones-Drew (3), Arian Foster (2)
WR: *Wes Welker (4), *Mike Wallace (1), A.J. Green (1), Brandon Marshall (3)
TE: *Rob Gronkowski (1), Antonio Gates (8)
OT: *Joe Thomas (5), *Jake Long (4), D'Brickashaw Ferguson (3)
OG: *Logan Mankins (4), *Brian Waters (6), Marshal Yanda (1)
C: *Maurkice Pouncey (2), Nick Mangold (4)
FB: *Vonta Leach (2)
DE: *Dwight Freeney (7), *Andre Carter (1), Elvis Dumervil (2)
DT: *Haloti Ngata (3), *Vince Wilfork (4), Richard Seymour (7)
OLB: *Terrell Suggs (5), *Von Miller (1), Tamba Hali (1)
ILB: *Ray Lewis (12), Derrick Johnson (1)
CB: *Darrelle Revis (4), *Champ Bailey (11), Johnathan Joseph
FS: *Ed Reed (8), Eric Weddle (1)
SS: *Troy Polamalu (7)
P: Shane Lechler (7)
PK: Sebastian Janikowski (1)
KR: Antonio Brown (1)
Special Teamer: Matthew Slater (1)
The NFC Pro Bowl roster is out, and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was the leading vote-receiver among fans. Though New Orleans Saints' quarterback Drew Brees broke Dan Marino's single season passing yards record, Rodgers has been the center of attention a year after a Super Bowl win and a 14-1 record thus far. He's joined by some teammates on the roster, including Greg Jennings at wide receiver. LeSean McCoy lead fan voting for running backs, while 'Megatron' Calvin Johnson headlines the wide receivers.
The San Fransisco 49ers are well represented on defense with Justin Smith and Patrick Willis, who have had fantastic seasons. They'll be joined by six teammates, as the Niners led the NFC with eight Pro Bowl selections. Jared Allen has performed well even if the Minnesota Vikings have not, while the Packers and Saints are represented, despite their teams being better known for their offensive prowess this season.
QB: Aaron Rodgers* (2nd appearance), Drew Brees (6), Eli Manning (2)
RB: LeSean McCoy* (1), Matt Forte (1), Frank Gore (3)
WR: Calvin Johnson* (2), Larry Fitzgerald* (6), Steve Smith (CAR) (5), Greg Jennings (2)
FB: John Kuhn* (1)
TE: Jimmy Graham* (1), Tony Gonzalez (12)
OT: Jason Peters* (5), Joe Staley* (1), Jermon Bushrod (1)
OG: Jahri Evans* (3), Carl Nicks* (2), Davin Joseph (2)
C: Ryan Kalil* (3), Scott Wells (1)
DE: Jared Allen* (4), Jason Babin* (2), Jason Pierre-Paul (1)
DT: Justin Smith* (3), Jay Ratliff* (4), B.J. Raji (1)
OLB: DeMarcus Ware* (6), Clay Matthews* (3), Lance Briggs (7)
ILB: Patrick Willis* (4), Brian Urlacher (8)
CB: Charles Woodson* (8), Carlos Rogers* (1), Charles Tillman (1)
FS: Earl Thomas* (1), Dashon Goldson (1)
SS: Adrian Wilson* (5)
K: David Akers* (6)
P: Andy Lee* (3)
KR/PR: Patrick Peterson* (1)
Special Teamer: Corey Graham* (1)
The 2012 Pro Bowl rosters will be released on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. (ET) and if the fans' vote is any indication you can expect to see a lot of Green Bay Packers on the team. The Packers had nine players leading their position in the fans' vote including OT Chad Clifton, who hadn't played since Week 5. It's obvious the Packers have a lot of fans across the country.
In the fans voting, Aaron Rodgers was the overall vote-getter followed by Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Calvin Johnsonand Wes Welker. Jared Allen was the top defensive vote-getter and Devin Hester was tops on special teams.
The rosters will be released on NFL Network Tuesday night which will tell us who will be playing in Honolulu on January 29th. The Pro Bowl comes in between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl which means the Super Bowl participants won't be playing.
The final Pro Bowl voting is split equally between the vote from the fans, players and coaches.
Here's a look at the final tally of the fan voting, which counts as one-third of the results:
Pos. |
Name, Team |
Votes |
Pos. |
Name, Team |
Votes |
QB |
Tom Brady, Patriots |
1,454,311 |
DE |
Andre Carter, Patriots |
511,693 |
RB |
896,804 |
DT |
592,603 |
||
FB |
Vonta Leach, Ravens |
149,801 |
OLB |
Terrell Suggs, Ravens |
546,851 |
WR |
Wes Welker, Patriots |
1,133,787 |
ILB |
Ray Lewis, Ravens |
413,222 |
TE |
Rob Gronkowski, Patriots |
936,886 |
CB |
561,986 |
|
T |
Michael Oher, Ravens |
327,644 |
SS |
230,649 |
|
G |
Logan Mankins, Patriots |
337,844 |
FS |
Ed Reed, Ravens |
198,075 |
C |
Maurkice Pouncey, Steelers |
376,457 |
P |
228,782 |
|
K |
Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders |
244,512 |
ST |
Brendon Ayanbadejo, Ravens |
106,515 |
KR |
Joe McKnight, Jets |
140,926 |
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name, Team |
Votes |
Pos. |
Name, Team |
Votes |
QB |
Aaron Rodgers, Packers |
1,581,982 |
DE |
Jared Allen, Vikings |
784,527 |
RB |
962,824 |
DT |
525,578 |
||
FB |
John Kuhn, Packers |
322,260 |
OLB |
581,554 |
|
WR |
Calvin Johnson, Lions |
1,180,777 |
ILB |
Patrick Willis, 49ers |
417,923 |
TE |
725,612 |
CB |
Charles Woodson, Packers |
763,198 |
|
T |
Chad Clifton, Packers |
392,106 |
SS |
Roman Harper, Saints |
147,542 |
G |
T.J. Lang, Packers |
327,740 |
FS |
Morgan Burnett, Packers |
223,292 |
C |
Scott Wells, Packers |
436,693 |
P |
Andy Lee, 49ers |
161,812 |
K |
Mason Crosby, Packers |
184,665 |
ST |
Jarrett Bush, Packers |
134,696 |
KR |
Devin Hester, Bears |
268,293 |
|
|
|
2012 Pro Bowl Roster: Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Willis Highlight NFC Starters
Now that we know who's going and not going, the NFC starters for the 2012 Pro Bowl on Sunday are all set and they look just as imposing as they did originally.
Aaron Rodgers remains your starting quarterback and he's joined in the backfield by LeSean McCoy and Michael Robinson. His passing targets to start the game will be Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Smith and tight end Jimmy Graham.
The offensive line protecting them consists of Jason Peters, Joe Staley, Jahri Evans, Carl Nicks and center Ryan Kalil.
The defensive unit is anchored by its line, which includes Jared Allen Jason Babin, Jay Ratliff and Justin Smith. The linebackers behind them consist of Clay Matthews, DeMarcus Ware and Patrick Willis.
The secondary includes a talent cast made up of Charles Woodson, Brandon Browner, Earl Thomas and Adrian Wilson.
The kicking game is all-49ers with Andy Lee punting and David Akers kicking extra points and field goals. Patrick Patterson rounds out the special teams starters as kick returner.
For updates leading up to the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, keep it with SB Nation's NFL hub.
Jan 29 4:00p by Sean Keeley - 0 comments