FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/24/17
NFL ALL-STARS TAKE CENTER STAGE IN 2017 PRO BOWL
-- Pro Bowl Kicks Off Super Bowl Week in Primetime on ESPN on Sunday, January 29 --
-- All-Stars Face Off in Skills Showdown Airing Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN --
The 2017 Pro Bowl, presented by Aquafina, will be played on Sunday, January 29, 2017 and televised live on ESPN and simulcast on ESPN Deportes at 8:00 PM ET from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
This year’s edition of the Pro Bowl returns to the traditional AFC vs. NFC format following three years of a revised, “unconferenced” structure.
Pro Football Hall of Fame running back JEROME BETTIS, All-Pro tight end TONY GONZALEZ, two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl XXXV MVP RAY LEWIS, and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year and All-Pro defensive back CHARLES WOODSON will serve as 2017 Pro Bowl Legends Captains. Bettis (offense) and Lewis (defense) will lead the AFC, while Gonzalez (offense) and Woodson (defense) will guide the NFC. During Pro Bowl Week, the four Legends Captains will serve as mentors for the Pro Bowl players, coach practices, and be present on the sidelines on gameday. The NFL Legends on both teams will also be assisted by two active player captains. The 2017 Pro Bowl is the first to be played in Orlando, and will feature the league’s all-stars and Legends Captains taking part in an unprecedented number of youth activities and community events during a week-long celebration of the football community.
Also new this year, the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown, pitting AFC and NFC All-Stars against each other in unique competitions, will air on Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN. Each team in the Skills Showdown will feature a mix of quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs.
The 44-man Pro Bowl teams are comprised of 21 offensive and 18 defensive players plus five specialists, including a long snapper. ANDY REID and the coaches from the Kansas City Chiefs will lead the AFC Pro Bowl team and JASON GARRETT and the coaches from the Dallas Cowboys will head the NFC squad.
Ten players from the two teams participating in Super Bowl LI, the ATLANTA FALCONS and NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, were selected to the original Pro Bowl roster this season: Linebacker VIC BEASLEY JR., kicker MATT BRYANT, running back DEVONTA FREEMAN, wide receiver JULIO JONES, center ALEX MACK and quarterback MATT RYAN of the Falcons, and quarterback TOM BRADY, linebacker DONT’A HIGHTOWER, safety DEVIN MC COURTY and special teamer MATTHEW SLATER of the Patriots.
The Pro Bowl players were determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group’s vote counted one-third toward determining the 86 Pro Bowl selections. A long snapper was chosen by each head coach as a “need” player. The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its all-star teams. In 1995, the NFL became the first professional sports league to offer online all-star voting.
Under terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each player on the winning Pro Bowl team receives $61,000, while each player on the losing squad earns $30,000.
Tickets to the 2017 Pro Bowl are on sale through NFL.com/ProBowlOnSale.
2017 PRO BOWL PLAYERS BY POSITION (*First-time Pro Bowl selection)
AFC
OFFENSE (21)
QUARTERBACKS (3) TIGHT ENDS (2) Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Travis Kelce, Kansas City Alex Smith, Kansas City Delanie Walker, Tennessee Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers TACKLES (3) WIDE RECEIVERS (4) * Taylor Lewan, Tennessee T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Joe Thomas, Cleveland Jarvis Landry, Miami Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Demaryius Thomas, Denver GUARDS (3) David DeCastro, Pittsburgh RUNNING BACKS (3) Richie Incognito, Buffalo * Jay Ajayi, Miami * Kelechi Osemele, Oakland * Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers DeMarco Murray, Tennessee CENTERS (2) * Rodney Hudson, Oakland FULLBACK (1) * Jeremy Zuttah, Baltimore * Kyle Juszczyk, Baltimore
DEFENSE (18)
DEFENSIVE ENDS (3) INSIDE/MIDDLE LINEBACKERS (2) Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati * Zach Brown, Buffalo Cameron Wake, Miami * Ryan Shazier, Pittsburgh * Leonard Williams, New York Jets CORNERBACKS (4) INTERIOR LINEMEN (3) * Stephon Gilmore, Buffalo Geno Atkins, Cincinnati Chris Harris, Jr., Denver Jurrell Casey, Tennessee * Casey Hayward, Los Angeles Chargers Kyle Williams, Buffalo Aqib Talib, Denver
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (3) FREE SAFETIES (2) Lorenzo Alexander, Buffalo Reggie Nelson, Oakland Von Miller, Denver Eric Weddle, Baltimore Brian Orakpo, Tennessee STRONG SAFETY (1) * Darian Stewart, Denver
SPECIALISTS (5)
PUNTER (1) RETURN SPECIALIST (1) Dustin Colquitt, Kansas City * Tyreek Hill, Kansas City
PLACEKICKERS (1) SPECIAL TEAMER (1) Justin Tucker, Baltimore * D.J. Alexander, Kansas City
LONG SNAPPER (1) Morgan Cox, Baltimore
NFC
OFFENSE (21)
QUARTERBACKS (3) TIGHT ENDS (2) Drew Brees, New Orleans Jimmy Graham, Seattle * Kirk Cousins, Washington Greg Olsen, Carolina * Dak Prescott, Dallas TACKLES (3) WIDE RECEIVERS (4) * David Bakhtiari, Green Bay * Doug Baldwin, Seattle Tyron Smith, Dallas Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants Trent Williams, Washington Dez Bryant, Dallas * Mike Evans, Tampa Bay GUARDS (3) Zack Martin, Dallas RUNNING BACKS (3) Josh Sitton, Chicago * Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Trai Turner, Carolina * Jordan Howard, Chicago Darren Sproles, Philadelphia CENTERS (2) Travis Frederick, Dallas FULLBACK (1) Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Mike Tolbert, Carolina
DEFENSE (18)
DEFENSIVE ENDS (3) INSIDE/MIDDLE LINEBACKERS (2) * Cliff Avril, Seattle Sean Lee, Dallas Michael Bennett, Seattle Bobby Wagner, Seattle Everson Griffen, Minnesota CORNERBACKS (4) INTERIOR LINEMEN (3) * Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Patrick Peterson, Arizona * Linval Joseph, Minnesota * Xavier Rhodes, Minnesota Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Richard Sherman, Seattle
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (3) FREE SAFETIES (2) Anthony Barr, Minnesota * Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay Thomas Davis, Carolina Harrison Smith, Minnesota * K.J. Wright, Seattle STRONG SAFETY (1) * Landon Collins, New York Giants
SPECIALISTS (5)
PUNTER (1) RETURN SPECIALIST (1) Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles Rams Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota
PLACEKICKERS (1) SPECIAL TEAMER (1) Matt Prater, Detroit * Dwayne Harris, New York Giants
LONG SNAPPER (1) * Jacob McQuaide, Los Angeles Rams
2017 PRO BOWL PLAYERS BY CLUB
PLAYER POSITION PRO BOWLS
ARIZONA (1) Patrick Peterson Cornerback 6
BALTIMORE (5) Morgan Cox Long Snapper 2 Kyle Juszczyk Fullback 1 Justin Tucker Placekicker 2 Eric Weddle Free Safety 4 Jeremy Zuttah Center 1
BUFFALO (5) Lorenzo Alexander Outside Linebacker 2 Zach Brown Inside/Middle Linebacker 1 Stephon Gilmore Cornerback 1 Richie Incognito Guard 3 Kyle Williams Interior Lineman 5
CAROLINA (4) Thomas Davis Outside Linebacker 2 Greg Olsen Tight End 3 Mike Tolbert Fullback 3 Trai Turner Guard 2
CHICAGO (2) Jordan Howard Running Back 1 Josh Sitton Guard 4
CINCINNATI (4) Geno Atkins Interior Lineman 5 Andy Dalton Quarterback 3 Carlos Dunlap Defensive End 2 Andrew Whitworth Tackle 3
CLEVELAND (1) Joe Thomas Tackle 10
DALLAS (7) Dez Bryant Wide Receiver 3 Ezekiel Elliott Running Back 1 Travis Frederick Center 3 Sean Lee Linebacker 2 Zack Martin Guard 3 Dak Prescott Quarterback 1 Tyron Smith Tackle 4
DENVER (6) Chris Harris Jr. Cornerback 3 Von Miller Outside Linebacker 5 Emmanuel Sanders Wide Receiver 2 Darian Stewart Strong Safety 1 Aqib Talib Cornerback 4 Demaryius Thomas Wide Receiver 5
DETROIT (1) Matt Prater Placekicker 2
GREEN BAY (2) David Bakhtiari Tackle 1 Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Free Safety 1
INDIANAPOLIS (1) T.Y. Hilton Wide Receiver 3
KANSAS CITY (5) D.J. Alexander Special Teamer 1 Dustin Colquitt Punter 2 Tyreek Hill Return Specialist 1 Travis Kelce Tight End 2 Alex Smith Quarterback 2
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (3) Melvin Gordon Running Back 1 Casey Hayward Cornerback 1 Philip Rivers Quarterback 6
LOS ANGELES RAMS (2) Johnny Hekker Punter 3 Jacob McQuaide Long Snapper 1
MIAMI (3) Jay Ajayi Running Back 1 Jarvis Landry Wide Receiver 2 Cameron Wake Defensive End 5
MINNESOTA (6) Anthony Barr Outside Linebacker 2 Everson Griffen Defensive End 2 Linval Joseph Interior Lineman 1 Cordarrelle Patterson Return Specialist 2 Xavier Rhodes Cornerback 1 Harrison Smith Free Safety 2
NEW ORLEANS (1) Drew Brees Quarterback 10
NEW YORK GIANTS (4) Odell Beckham Jr. Wide Receiver 3 Landon Collins Strong Safety 1 Dwayne Harris Special Teamer 1 Janoris Jenkins Cornerback 1
NEW YORK JETS (1) Leonard Williams Defensive End 1
OAKLAND (3) Rodney Hudson Center 1 Reggie Nelson Free Safety 2 Kelechi Osemele Guard 1
PHILADELPHIA (3) Fletcher Cox Interior Lineman 2 Jason Kelce Center 2 Darren Sproles Running Back 3
PITTSBURGH (2) David DeCastro Guard 2 Ryan Shazier Inside/Middle Linebacker 1
SEATTLE (7) Cliff Avril Defensive End 1 Doug Baldwin Wide Receiver 1 Michael Bennett Defensive End 2 Jimmy Graham Tight End 4 Richard Sherman Cornerback 4 Bobby Wagner Inside/Middle Linebacker 3 K.J. Wright Outside Linebacker 1
TAMPA BAY (2) Mike Evans Wide Receiver 1 Gerald McCoy Interior Lineman 5
TENNESSEE (5) Jurrell Casey Interior Lineman 2 Taylor Lewan Tackle 1 DeMarco Murray Running Back 3 Brian Orakpo Outside Linebacker 4 Delanie Walker Tight End 2
WASHINGTON (2) Kirk Cousins Quarterback 1 Trent Williams Tackle 5
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