NFL ALL-STAR FAN VOTING LED BY YOUNG VIKINGS STARS;
TITANS AND BUCCANEERS HAVE MOST POSITION LEADERS
NFL Players and Coaches to Submit AFC-NFC Pro Bowl Ballots by December 12
Wide receiver RANDY MOSS (210,493 votes) and quarterback DAUNTE CULPEPPER (207,011) of the Minnesota Vikings finished as the top two vote-getters in 2001 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl fan balloting on NFL.com, the NFL announced today.
More than 10 million votes were tabulated in the voting that began in October, setting an NFL.com Pro Bowl fan balloting record. Fan balloting counts for one-third of the final vote in determining the 43-man AFC and NFC All-Star rosters that will be announced this Thursday.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING led all AFC players with 187,412 votes. Manning was the highest vote-getter in fan balloting for the 2000 Pro Bowl with 124,346.
Fans, players and coaches select the AFC and NFC All-Stars. Each group’s collective vote counts one-third towards determining conference rosters. Fans voted for their favorite NFL All-Stars online at NFL.com, the league’s official website, from October 16 through December 8. In 1995, NFL.com became the first sports league website to offer online fan balloting. NFL.com is the world’s most popular sports league website, according to Nielsen Net Ratings.
Fans voted upon 19 position categories. The Tennessee Titans topped all AFC teams with six players leading their position category. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished atop NFC fan balloting with six position leaders as well.
NFL players and coaches will cast their ballots by December 12. The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, players and coaches to determine its All-Star teams.
The fans’ portion of the voting will be used to break ties in case of deadlocks.
Pro Bowl rosters will be revealed on NFL.com on Thursday, December 14, followed that night by the annual ESPN Pro Bowl Selection Show at 8:00 PM ET. The Pro Bowl takes place on Sunday, February 4 at 5:30 PM ET. It will be the 22nd consecutive NFL All-Star game played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu and will be broadcast live on ABC-TV.
Listed below are the top vote-getters by position for 2001 Pro Bowl fan balloting:
AFC TOP VOTE-GETTERS BY POSITION
| Pos. | Name, Team | Votes | Pos. | Name, Team | Votes |
| QB | Peyton Manning, Colts | 187,412 | DE | Jevon Kearse, Titans | 131,270 |
| RB | Eddie George, Titans | 165,193 | IL | Darrell Russell, Raiders | 56,681 |
| FB | Lorenzo Neal, Titans | 43,573 | OLB | Junior Seau, Chargers | 106,776 |
| WR | Marvin Harrison, Colts | 149,971 | ILB | Zach Thomas, Dolphins | 87,254 |
| TE | Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs | 147,333 | CB | Charles Woodson, Raiders | 108,173 |
| T | Tony Boselli, Jaguars | 103,373 | SS | Blaine Bishop, Titans | 50,593 |
| G | Bruce Matthews, Titans | 92,434 | FS | Rod Woodson, Ravens | 63,353 |
| C | Dermontti Dawson, Steelers | 68,322 | P | Tom Tupa, Jets | 37,346 |
| K | Mike Vanderjagt, Colts | 30,268 | ST | Larry Izzo, Dolphins | 36,881 |
| KR | Derrick Mason, Titans | 64,596 |
NFC TOP VOTE GETTERS BY POSITION
| Pos. | Name, Team | Votes | Pos. | Name, Team | Votes |
| QB | Daunte Culpepper, Vikings | 207,011 | DE | Bruce Smith, Redskins | 67,549 |
| RB | Marshall, Faulk, Rams | 183,473 | IL | Warren Sapp, Buccaneers | 159,107 |
| FB | Mike Alstott, Buccaneers | 135,628 | OLB | Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers | 94,554 |
| WR | Randy Moss, Vikings | 210,493 | ILB | London Fletcher, Rams | 49,706 |
| TE | Wesley Walls, Panthers | 79,667 | CB | Champ Bailey, Redskins | 82,820 |
| T | Orlando Pace, Rams | 100,034 | SS | John Lynch, Buccaneers | 88,956 |
| G | Randall McDaniel, Buccaneers | 82,903 | FS | Mark Carrier, Redskins | 34,417 |
| C | Jeff Christy, Buccaneers | 74,676 | P | Mitch Berger, Vikings | 61,637 |
| K | Gary Anderson, Vikings | 64,963 | ST | Az-Zahir Hakim, Rams | 73,618 |
| KR | Desmond Howrad, Lions | 37,789 |