FOR USE AS DESIRED
 NFL-152            12/4/02

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

With more than 42 million votes cast by fans on NFL.com, Green Bay Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE (771,562) continues to lead all NFL All-Stars in balloting for the 2003 Pro Bowl, the NFL announced today.

 

Buffalo Bills quarterback DREW BLEDSOE (628,288) ranks second overall while Kansas City Chiefs running back PRIEST HOLMES (609,149), Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback MIKE ALSTOTT (553,559), and Kansas City Chiefs tight end TONY GONZALEZ (545,414) round out the top five.

 

The balloting has totaled 42,587,117 votes and is on pace to break last year’s record of 43 million total votes.  Voting continues on NFL.com through December 13.  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:

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

771,562

 

LB

Brian Urlacher, Bears

308,003

QB

Drew Bledsoe, Bills

628,288

 

IL

Warren Sapp, Buccaneers

268,798

RB

Priest Holmes, Chiefs

609,149

 

DE

Jason Taylor, Dolphins

213,885

FB

Mike Alstott, Buccaneers

553,559

 

DE

Julius Peppers, Panthers

205,057

TE

Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs

545,414

 

LB

Zach Thomas, Dolphins

198,139

RB

Marshall Faulk, Rams

531,286

 

FS

Rod Woodson, Raiders

189,700

QB

Rich Gannon, Raiders

525,137

 

FS

Darren Sharper, Packers

182,432

RB

Deuce McAllister, Saints

501,369

 

CB

Champ Bailey, Redskins

173,572

TE

Bubba Franks, Packers

494,514

 

CB

Ronde Barber, Buccaneers

156,603

RB

LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers

462,135

 

CB

Patrick Surtain, Dolphins

151,696

 

NFL ALL-STAR TOP-FIVE ROOKIE VOTE-GETTERS
 

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

TE

Jeremy Shockey, Giants

411,342

DE

Julius Peppers, Panthers

205,057

TE

Randy McMichael, Dolphins

158,416

PR

Antwaan Randle El, Steelers

91,625

RB

Clinton Portis, Broncos

78,988

 

AFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS
 

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

QB

Drew Bledsoe, Bills

628,288

DE

Jason Taylor, Dolphins

213,885

RB

Priest Holmes, Chiefs

609,149

IL

Gary Walker, Texans

97,024

FB

Mike Anderson, Broncos

373,358

OLB

Joey Porter, Steelers

120,014

WR

Marvin Harrison, Colts

431,022

ILB

Zach Thomas, Dolphins

198,139

TE

Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs

545,414

CB

Patrick Surtain, Dolphins

151,696

T

Jonathan Ogden, Ravens

109,240

SS

Greg Wesley, Chiefs

62,575

G

Will Shields, Chiefs

90,610

FS

Rod Woodson, Raiders

189,700

C

Kevin Mawae, Jets

83,235

P

Brian Moorman, Bills

91,199

K

Morten Andersen, Chiefs

318,500

ST

Larry Izzo, Patriots

76,762

KR

Chad Morton, Jets

123,115

 

 

 

 

NFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS
 

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

Pos.

Name, Team

Votes

QB

Brett Favre, Packers

771,562

DE

Julius Peppers, Panthers

205,057

RB

Marshall Faulk, Rams

531,286

IL

Warren Sapp, Buccaneers

268,798

FB

Mike Alstott, Buccaneers

553,559

OLB

Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers

137,516

WR

Terrell Owens, 49ers

427,179

ILB

Brian Urlacher, Bears

308,003

TE

Bubba Franks, Packers

494,514

CB

Champ Bailey, Redskins

173,572

T

Orlando Pace, Rams

119,307

SS

John Lynch, Buccaneers

101,156

G

Larry Allen, Cowboys

124,471

FS

Darren Sharper, Packers

182,432

C

Mike Flanagan, Packers

150,615

P

Todd Sauerbrun, Panthers

210,664

K

David Akers, Eagles

243,115

ST

Matt Bowen, Packers

91,270

KR

Michael Lewis, Saints

177,831

 

 

 

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