Seven Green Bay Packers, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers and linebacker Clay Matthews, were selected to the 2012 Pro Bowl on Tuesday, the NFL announced.
The seven picked were Rodgers, Matthews, fullback John Kuhn, receiver Greg Jennings, center Scott Wells, defensive lineman B.J. Raji and cornerback Charles Woodson. Rodgers, Kuhn, Matthews and Woodson were selected as starters.
Mason Crosby, a 88.5% kicker in 2011, is a first alternate. David Akers, who set the NFL record for field goals in a season for the 49ers, was the NFC’s selection.
Receiver Jordy Nelson, linebacker Desmond Bishop, receiver/returner Randall Cobb, tight end Jermichael Finley, guard Josh Sitton and cornerback Tramon Williams were selected as second or third alternates.
The seven Packers selected to the Pro Bowl team are the most since 1967, when the Packers sent nine. The San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots led the NFL in players selected with eight.
Kuhn, Wells and Raji were all selected for the first time in their respective careers. Rodgers (2009) and Jennings (2010) were selected for the second time, and Matthews is now 3-for-3 in Pro Bowls during his three-year NFL career. Woodson was picked for the eighth time, including each of the last four years.
The Pro Bowl will be played on Jan. 29, 2012, in Honolulu.
The entire NFC Pro Bowl roster:
QUARTERBACKS
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay*
Drew Brees, New Orleans
Eli Manning, New York
RUNNING BACKS
LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia*
Matt Forte, Chicago
Frank Gore, San Francisco
FULLBACK
John Kuhn, Green Bay*
RECEIVERS
Calvin Johnson, Detroit*
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona*
Steve Smith, Carolina
Greg Jennings, Green Bay
TIGHT ENDS
Jimmy Graham, New Orleans*
Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta
TACKLES
Jason Peters, Philadelphia*
Joe Staley, San Francisco*
Jermon Bushrod, New Orleans
GUARDS
Jahri Evans, New Orleans*
Carl Nicks, New Orleans*
Davin Joseph, Tampa Bay
CENTERS
Ryan Kalil, Carolina*
Scott Wells, Green Bay
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Jared Allen, Minnesota*
Jason Babin, Philadelphia*
Jason Pierre-Paul, New York
INTERIOR LINEMEN
Justin Smith, San Francisco*
Jay Ratliff, Dallas*
B.J. Raji, Green Bay
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
DeMarcus Ware, Dallas*
Clay Matthews, Green Bay*
Lance Briggs, Chicago
MIDDLE LINEBACKERS
Patrick Willis, San Francisco*
Brian Urlacher, Chicago
CORNERBACKS
Charles Woodson, Green Bay*
Carlos Rogers, San Francisco*
Charles Tillman, Chicago
SAFETIES
Earl Thomas, Seattle*
Adrian Wilson, Arizona*
Dashon Goldson, San Francisco
SPECIALISTS
Andy Lee, San Francisco
David Akers, San Francisco
Patrick Peterson, Arizona
Corey Graham, Chicago
*Denotes starter
——————Zach Kruse is a 23-year-old sports journalist with a passion for the Green Bay Packers. He currently lives in Wisconsin and is working on his journalism degree, while also covering prep sports for The Dunn Co. News.
You can read more of Zach's Packers articles on AllGreenBayPackers.com.
Follow @zachkruse2——————
Was it the highest # of any team? It’d better be…
Just added that part to the post. The 49ers led with 8.
Should have signed Wells before he was a Pro Bowler, now he’ll be worth more money. Don’t Know if Raji deserved the PB this year, last year yes, but this? Where were all the big plays?
Congrats to Rodgers , Wells, Jennings and Kuhn. Having the best QB and the best receiving core in the league, and when healthy, a good O-line, will give us a good chance to win every game in the playoffs.
I can only pray that the D can get it together enough to be competitive in the big games ahead. I’m not getting a warm and fuzzy feeling regarding the D, but their all we got so we’ll have to live and die with them.
TT will have his hands full building this unit back up in the off season.
Now, let’s plan on none of them are able to go to Hawaii. On to the Super Bowl! Go Pack!
I’m especially happy to see Wells get some recognition this year.
raji making the pro bowl is a joke. but like a friend of mine said. a lot of guys make the pro bowl a year after they actually should have. i was hoping jarrett bush would make it as the special teamer, but oh well.
on wells, it sounds like he is asking for top 5 center money anyway. i do not think the pro bowl will have an impact on his negotiations. fact is he is on the wrong side of 30. that will be a testy negotiation. but that is why we have TT.
Exactly right about a guy making it a year later. Happens all the time for first-timers…
Players and coaches must have liked Raji quite a bit, because Jenkins and Suh had a substantial fan vote lead.
I think that it is great that these guys got recognized as All-Pro. Most of these guys deserve to be where they are, but you’d think Jordy Nelson would have been a first team alternate. The guy has been on fire all year.
Anyway, I agree with Ron LC that I hope the Pack is going to be too busy preparing for a second consecutive Super Bowl rather than attending the Pro Bowl.
Pro-bowl, not All-Pro. I think most people agree that ‘All-Pro’ is a more credible acknowledgement by peers of performance whereas the Pro Bowl can be a bit of a popularity contest.
As for Jordy, he’s had a wonderful year but everybody on the list in front of Nelson had the oppositions top cover corner every game. Nelson had a nickle/dime corner and sometime singled on a safety. Not taking anything away from the kid, he won matchups he should have, but not Pro Bowl worthy in comparison with his peers.
Sorry, you’re right, I meant Pro-Bowl.
While it may be somewhat of a popularity contest, I’m sure that they do consider it an honor.
I also understand that Jordy may not draw the attention of every team’s top cornerback, but he has put up some great numbers this year. Also, he’s got more “heart” and determination than most.