Six Seahawks named to Pro Bowl for second straight year
Dec 27, 2013, 6:57 PM | Updated: 7:00 pm
The Seahawks will be well represented at the Pro Bowl, with six players named to the NFL All Star game for the second straight season.
Quarterback Russell Wilson, free safety Earl Thomas, strong safety Kam Chancellor, running back Marshawn Lynch, center Max Unger and cornerback Richard Sherman were all named to the team Friday.
Kicker Steven Hauschka, Receiver and punt returner Golden Tate and left tackle Russell Okung were named as alternates.
The NFL revealed Friday that the Chiefs and 49ers each had eight players voted into the Pro Bowl, including running backs Jamaal Charles of Kansas City and Frank Gore of San Francisco.
Denver quarterback Peyton Manning was selected to his 13th Pro Bowl after receiving the most votes among fans, 1.43 million. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees was second among fans with 1.2 million votes.
The NFL combines votes from fans, players and coaches to determine 86 of 88 Pro Bowl players; the other two players are long-snappers selected by Pro Bowl coaches. Voting ended Thursday.
Under a new format this year, NFL greats Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders will divvy up the players in a two-day draft before the Jan. 26 game. Offensive and defensive players with the most votes who don’t make it past the divisional playoff round will serve as active player captains.
Charles said Friday night on a reveal show on the NFL Network that he should be picked first.
“I think I got the best skillset of anybody on the roster,” Charles said. “I think I can play wide receiver and then put the ball in my hand, also. The only thing I can’t do is throw the ball.”
The schoolyard-style selections mean it’s likely teammates will be forced to play on opposite sides.
San Francisco linebacker NaVorro Bowman said he thinks it would be weird to have to tackle Gore or Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis.
“I might not tackle him,” Bowman said. “Just let him score and get his yards or whatever. Yeah, that’d be weird because that hasn’t happened since training camp.”
Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman received 552,600 votes by fans, the most for any defensive player. Houston defensive end J.J. Watt had just under 410,000 fan votes.
San Francisco is set to send eight players to the game for the second year in a row, though its players missed the game earlier this year because they made the Super Bowl, losing to Baltimore.
Kansas City’s eight selections are up from six last year. The Chiefs are 11-4 this year _ up from 2-14 last year _ and the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs heading into a largely meaningless game for them against San Diego on Sunday.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Friday he has never been big on Pro Bowl selections.
“I’m happy for the guys when and if they make it. I’m proud of them for it,” Reid said. “But we don’t get caught up in all of the individual accolades. (We’re) just getting ourselves ready to play.”
Manning was one of five players selected from Denver, which has a shot at putting up the most points of any team in NFL history.
The 2014 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 26, 2014 and televised live on NBC at 4 p.m. PT from Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
