FOR USE AS DESIRED
 NFL-166          12/16/02

RECORD 51 MILLION ALL-STAR VOTES CAST ON NFL.COM;
FAVRE, HOLMES & BLEDSOE TOP VOTE-GETTERS

A record 51 million votes were cast by fans on NFL.com this year and Green Bay Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE (930,270) led all NFL All-Stars in balloting for the 2003 Pro Bowl, the NFL announced today. 

With 13 fewer voting days than last season, NFL.com recorded 51,677,578 total votes, eclipsing last year’s record of 43,957,135.

Kansas City Chiefs running back PRIEST HOLMES (747,297) ranked second overall with Buffalo Bills quarterback DREW BLEDSOE (733,754), Oakland Raiders quarterback RICH GANNON (673,740), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback MIKE ALSTOTT (672,947) rounding out the top five.

 

Fan voting finished on NFL.com December 13.  Players and coaches vote December 16-17.  The squads will be announced December 19 on the 2003 Pro Bowl Selection Show on ESPN.

The consensus ballots of NFL fans, players and coaches each count one-third towards determining the 43-man rosters that will represent the American and National conferences at Aloha Stadium. 

The NFL is the only professional sports league that combines voting by fans, players and coaches in determining its all-star teams.  The NFL became the first professional sports league to offer online voting in 1995.

This year’s NFL Pro Bowl All-Star Game will be televised live on ABC-TV at 5:30 PM ET (12:30 PM HT) on February 2 and will be played in Honolulu, Hawaii.   

This season fans also cast their Pro Bowl ballots at more than 7,200 RadioShack stores nationwide.  RadioShack offered shortened balloting, presented by Motorola, which allowed fans to quickly vote for their favorite players in the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, defensive end, outside linebacker and cornerback positions. More than 94 percent of Americans live or work within five minutes of a RadioShack store.

All fans that voted at RadioShack were entered to win an "All Access" pass to the Pro Bowl. The "All Access" pass offers one winner a trip for two to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii, including sideline access to practices, pregame and halftime courtesy of the NFL and Motorola.  The winner will be announced December 19, on the 2003 Pro Bowl Selection Show on ESPN.

Listed below are the top ten offensive and defensive vote-getters, the top five rookie vote-getters and the players with the most votes at each position:

NFL ALL-STAR TOP-TEN OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE VOTE-GETTERS
 

TOP-TEN OFFENSIVE

 

TOP-TEN DEFENSIVE

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

 

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

QB

Brett Favre, Packers

930,270

 

LB

Brian Urlacher, Bears

373,366

RB

Priest Holmes, Chiefs

747,297

 

IL

Warren Sapp, Buccaneers

325,978

QB

Drew Bledsoe, Bills

733,754

 

DE

Jason Taylor, Dolphins

263,108

QB

Rich Gannon, Raiders

673,740

 

DE

Julius Peppers, Panthers

246,652

FB

Mike Alstott, Buccaneers

672,947

 

LB

Zach Thomas, Dolphins

244,937

TE

Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs

657,418

 

FS

Rod Woodson, Raiders

235,020

RB

Deuce McAllister, Saints

616,848

 

FS

Darren Sharper, Packers

224,572

RB

Marshall Faulk, Rams

607,554

 

CB

Champ Bailey, Redskins

209,344

TE

Bubba Franks, Packers

603,753

 

CB

Patrick Surtain, Dolphins

187,730

RB

LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers

572,571

 

CB

Ronde Barber, Buccaneers

187,660

NFL ALL-STAR TOP-FIVE ROOKIE VOTE-GETTERS
 

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

TE

Jeremy Shockey, Giants

513,088

DE

Julius Peppers, Panthers

246,652

TE

Randy McMichael, Dolphins

180,643

PR

Antwaan Randle El, Steelers

102,575

RB

Clinton Portis, Broncos

101,036

 

AFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS
 

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

QB

Drew Bledsoe, Bills

733,754

DE

Jason Taylor, Dolphins

263,108

RB

Priest Holmes, Chiefs

747,297

IL

Gary Walker, Texans

110,910

FB

Mike Anderson, Broncos

451,285

OLB

Joey Porter, Steelers

142,459

WR

Marvin Harrison, Colts

546,144

ILB

Zach Thomas, Dolphins

244,937

TE

Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs

657,418

CB

Patrick Surtain, Dolphins

187,730

T

Willie Roaf, Chiefs

131,505

SS

Ed Reed, Ravens

73,304

G

Will Shields, Chiefs

109,898

FS

Rod Woodson, Raiders

235,020

C

Kevin Mawae, Jets

101,178

P

Chris Hanson, Jaguars

121,641

K

Morten Andersen, Chiefs

386,738

ST

Larry Izzo, Patriots

92,586

KR

Chad Morton, Jets

150,222

 

 

 



NFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS
 

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

QB

Brett Favre, Packers

930,270

DE

Julius Peppers, Panthers

246,652

RB

Deuce McAllister, Saints

616,848

IL

Warren Sapp, Buccaneers

325,978

FB

Mike Alstott, Buccaneers

672,947

OLB

Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers

169,656

WR

Terrell Owens, 49ers

546,574

ILB

Brian Urlacher, Bears

373,366

TE

Bubba Franks, Packers

603,753

CB

Champ Bailey, Redskins

209,344

T

Orlando Pace, Rams

141,810

SS

John Lynch, Buccaneers

128,286

G

Larry Allen, Cowboys

147,745

FS

Darren Sharper, Packers

224,572

C

Mike Flanagan, Packers

180,230

P

Todd Sauerbrun, Panthers

254,434

K

David Akers, Eagles

315,575

ST

Matt Bowen, Packers

108,814

KR

Michael Lewis, Saints

212,675

 

 

 

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