FOR USE AS DESIRED
 NFL-139          11/20/02

31 MILLION ALL-STAR VOTES CAST ON NFL.COM;
FAVRE, BLEDSOE CONTINUE TO LEAD CHARGE TOWARD
PRO BOWL WITH FOUR WEEKS OF VOTING REMAINING

With more than 31 million votes cast by fans on NFL.com, Green Bay Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE (574,199) continues to lead all NFL All-Stars in balloting for the 2003 Pro Bowl, the NFL announced today.

 

Buffalo Bills quarterback DREW BLEDSOE (491,644) ranks second overall while Kansas City Chiefs running back PRIEST HOLMES (448,529) and tight end TONY GONZALEZ (408,257) rank third and fourth overall.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback MIKE ALSTOTT (405,753) rounds out the top five.

 

The balloting, which started five weeks ago, has reached 31,197,464 total votes and is on pace to break last year’s record of 43 million total votes.  Voting continues on NFL.com through December 16.  The squads will be announced December 19 on the 2003 Pro Bowl Selection Show on ESPN.

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.   

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.  Players and coaches will vote on December 16-17.

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.

Fans may vote on the NFL’s website, NFL.com, to help select the AFC and NFC All-Star Teams, sponsored by Motorola and RadioShack.  Fans voting on NFL.com will also qualify to win a Pro Bowl prize package.

This season fans can also cast their Pro Bowl ballots through December 1 at more than 7,200 RadioShack stores nationwide.  RadioShack will offer shortened balloting, presented by Motorola, which will allow 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 voting at RadioShack will be 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 through November 18:

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

574,199

 

LB

Brian Urlacher, Bears

223,890

QB

Drew Bledsoe, Bills

491,644

 

IL

Warren Sapp, Buccaneers

195,281

RB

Priest Holmes, Chiefs

448,529

 

DE

Jason Taylor, Dolphins

154,209

TE

Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs

408,257

 

DE

Julius Peppers, Panthers

149,006

FB

Mike Alstott, Buccaneers

405,753

 

FS

Rod Woodson, Raiders

140,088

RB

Marshall Faulk, Rams

403,786

 

LB

Zach Thomas, Dolphins

138,362

RB

Deuce McAllister, Saints

372,905

 

FS

Darren Sharper, Packers

129,461

QB

Rich Gannon, Raiders

368,977

 

CB

Champ Bailey, Redskins

128,518

TE

Bubba Franks, Packers

360,583

 

LB

Ray Lewis, Ravens

119,848

RB

Ahman Green, Packers

345,667

 

CB

Ronde Barber, Buccaneers

115,743

NFL ALL-STAR TOP-FIVE ROOKIE VOTE-GETTERS
 

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

TE

Jeremy Shockey, Giants

284,337

DE

Julius Peppers, Panthers

149,006

TE

Randy McMichael, Dolphins

127,383

PR

Antwaan Randle El, Steelers

71,487

RB

Clinton Portis, Broncos

52,554


AFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS
 

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

QB

Drew Bledsoe, Bills

491,644

DE

Jason Taylor, Dolphins

154,209

RB

Priest Holmes, Chiefs

448,529

   IL

Gary Walker, Texans

78,562

FB

Mike Anderson, Broncos

270,284

OLB

Joey Porter, Steelers

88,556

WR

Eric Moulds, Bills

295,152

ILB

Zach Thomas, Dolphins

138,362

TE

Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs

408,257

CB

Patrick Surtain, Dolphins

105,582

T

Willie Roaf, Chiefs

83,074

SS

Greg Wesley, Chiefs

56,476

G

Will Shields, Chiefs

68,325

FS

Rod Woodson, Raiders

140,088

C

Tom Nalen, Broncos

61,433

P

Brian Moorman, Bills

78,668

K

Morten Andersen, Chiefs

234,488

ST

Larry Izzo, Patriots

57,546

KR

Chad Morton, Jets

93,226

 

 

 


NFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS
 

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

QB

Brett Favre, Packers

574,199

DE

Julius Peppers, Panthers

149,006

RB

Marshall Faulk, Rams

403,786

IL

Warren Sapp, Buccaneers

195,281

FB

Mike Alstott, Buccaneers

405,753

OLB

Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers

99,347

WR

Terrell Owens, 49ers

286,265

ILB

Brian Urlacher, Bears

223,890

TE

Bubba Franks, Packers

360,583

CB

Champ Bailey, Redskins

128,518

T

Earl Dotson, Packers

84,753

SS

Sammy Knight, Saints

79,698

G

Larry Allen, Cowboys

94,055

FS

Darren Sharper, Packers

129,461

C

Mike Flanagan, Packers

112,318

P

Todd Sauerbrun, Panthers

156,951

K

Ryan Longwell, Packers

192,381

ST

Matt Bowen, Packers

68,713

KR

Michael Lewis, Saints

137,155

 

 

 

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