Tom Brady and Michael Vick will lead the AFC and NFC respectively in January's 2011 Pro Bowl in Hawaii.
Brady and Vick to start Pro Bowl in Hawaii after voting ends
Tom Brady and Michael Vick will lead the AFC and NFC respectively in January's 2011 Pro Bowl in Hawaii after being voted as the two starting quarterbacks.
Polls of fans, players and coaches elected New England Patriots star Brady and resurgent Philadelphia Eagles triggerman Vick as the top two quarterbacks in the league, and they will start the game on January 30 in Honolulu.
That is, of course, the two are not playing in the Super Bowl the following week in Texas.
Peyton Manning will back-up Brady for the AFC, as the Colts legend makes the Pro Bowl for the 11th time, tying Brett Favre for the record for quarterbacks, with San Diego's Philip Rivers the third choice.
Vick's selection marks his remarkable return to favour, with the three-time pick whilst with Atlanta finding his very best form again in Philadelphia after his release from jail following dogfighting convictions.
Back-ups
Atlanta's new quarterback Matt Ryan is back-up to Vick on the NFC roster, and is joined by Drew Brees of Super Bowl winners New Orleans.
Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-drew and Atlanta's Michael Turner are starting running backs, with fellow Falcon Roddy White and Detroit's Calvin Johnson the NFC wide receivers while Houston's Andre Johnson and Indianapolis' Reggie Wayne start for the AFC.
The Atlanta Falcons lead the way with seven Pro Bowl selections, while the Patriots have six and the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys all have five.
Four rookies have made the Pro Bowl in their debut NFL season, including Detroit's play-making defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who is joined by New England cornerback Devin McCourty, Pittsburgh centre Maurkice Pouncey and Tennessee returner Marc Mariani.
The AFC roster has a big new look about it with 14 players making their first Pro Bowl, while there are seven debutants on the NFC team and some interesting players left out as much as included.
Baltimore's legendary linebacker Ray Lewis has been picked for the 12th time, and he is joined by team-mates Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata, while the Colts duo of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis start at defensive end.
Green Bay's Clay Matthews is a leading contender for Defensive Player of the Year, and he starts alongside last year's winner and team-mate Charles Woodson and fellow Packer Nick Collins.
Two of the biggest name omissions are Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Tennessee running back Chris Johnson, who have not been included in the original line-up for the NFL's All Star game.
