An NFC-high six St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were voted to the National Football Conference all-star team that will face the American Football Conference all-stars in the 2000 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, the NFL announced today.

The Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings will send five players each. Sixteen NFC players will participate in their first Pro Bowl.

The Pro Bowl -- the 50th in the format that began in Los Angeles in 1951 – will be played for the 21st consecutive year at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on Sunday, February 6 at 12:30 PM HT. It will be broadcast live at 5:30 PM ET by ABC-TV and CBS Radio.

The 42-man NFC squad is comprised of 21 offensive and 17 defensive players plus four specialists. A 43rd "need" player will be chosen by the NFC head coach and must be a linebacker or defensive end.

The NFL is the only professional sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players in determining its all-star teams. The consensus vote of fans counted as one-third of the total. Each team had two equal votes -- those of the coach and the players with no one permitted to vote for a player on his own team.

The Rams, with the conference’s best record at 12-2, start all six of their selections, the most starters in the league, including an NFL-high four on offense. First-time selection KURT WARNER, who leads the league with 36 touchdowns, 3,878 yards and a 111.1 passer rating, starts at quarterback. Running back MARSHALL FAULK, who leads the league in yards from scrimmage with 2,065, makes his fourth Pro Bowl appearance in six seasons and starts at running back. Starting tackle Orlando Pace, the No. 1 overall choice in the 1997 NFL Draft, makes his first trip to Honolulu, while starting wide receiver ISAAC BRUCE, who ranks second in the NFC with 11 touchdown catches, makes his second.

Warner and Faulk join Indianapolis’ trio of quarterback PEYTON MANNING, rookie running back EDGERRIN JAMES and wide receiver MARVIN HARRISON as the only players selected as unanimous choices by coaches, fans and players.

On defense, the Rams start two first-time Pro Bowl selections with defensive end KEVIN CARTER, who leads the league with 15.0 sacks, and cornerback TODD LYGHT, who ties for second in the NFC with six interceptions.

Tampa Bay has the conference’s second-best record at 9-5 and starts an NFL-high four players on defense. Outside linebacker DERRICK BROOKS, inside linebacker HARDY NICKERSON, and interior lineman WARREN SAPP, who leads all defensive tackles with 12.5 sacks, all make their third consecutive appearance. It is Nickerson’s fifth overall selection. They are joined by starting strong safety JOHN LYNCH, who makes his second trip to Hawaii. On offense, the Buccaneers are represented by starting fullback MIKE ALSTOTT and reserve center TONY MAYBERRY, who both make their third consecutive appearance.

Dallas is represented by two starters and three reserves. Guard LARRY ALLEN makes his fifth consecutive trip to Hawaii and starts as does cornerback DEION SANDERS, who was selected for the eighth time overall and fourth time in a row. The Cowboys reserves are outside linebacker and Pro Bowl rookie DEXTER COAKLEY, running back and eight-time selection EMMITT SMITH, who ranks second in the conference with 10 rushing touchdowns, and four-time Pro Bowl tackle ERIK WILLIAMS.

Detroit’s five selections consist of one starter, three reserves and one specialist. Pro Bowl rookie LUTHER ELLIS starts as an interior lineman. Lions reserve linebacker STEPHEN BOYD and tight end DAVID SLOAN also make their first trip to Honolulu, while defensive end ROBERT PORCHER, who ranks third in the NFC with 13.5 sacks, makes his second appearance. Also selected to his second Pro Bowl is kicker JASON HANSON.

Minnesota has four offensive players selected, including three starters, and one specialist. Starting wide receiver CRIS CARTER makes his seventh consecutive appearance and is joined in the starting lineup by center JEFF CHRISTY, who makes his second trip in a row, and guard RANDALL MC DANIEL, who has been selected for 11 consecutive years.

McDaniel already holds the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl record with 10 consecutive starts and now with his 11th selection in a row can extend the record this February. He can also tie REGGIE WHITE for most AFC-NFC Pro Bowls played with 11. McDaniel is currently tied for second with 10 AFC-NFC Pro Bowls played with RONNIE LOTT, MIKE SINGLETARY and LAWRENCE TAYLOR.

Reserve wide receiver RANDY MOSS joins the other Vikings in Hawaii for the second consecutive year, while punter MITCH BERGER, who leads the NFC with a 45.7 average, makes his first trip.

Carolina sends four players to Hawaii. Special teamer MICHAEL BATES, who blocked a punt this past weekend against San Francisco, and starting tight end WESLEY WALLS, who leads all tight ends with 10 touchdown catches, have both been selected for the fourth consecutive year. This is Bates’ second year as a special teamer after two years as a kick returner. Joining them are two first-time Pro Bowl selections -- quarterback STEVE BEUERLEIN, who ranks second in the league with 3,851 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, and wide receiver MUHSIN MUHAMMAD, who leads the NFC with 86 catches.

Washington sends three Pro Bowl first-timers to Hawaii -- all as reserves. Running back STEPHEN DAVIS, who leads the league with 17 touchdowns and 1,405 rushing yards, is joined by Johnson & Johnson – quarterback BRAD JOHNSON and guard TRE’ JOHNSON.

The remaining offensive starter is New Orleans Saints tackle WILLIAM ROAF, who was selected for the sixth consecutive season. Filling out the defensive starters are New York Giants outside linebacker JESSIE ARMSTEAD and defensive end MICHAEL STRAHAN, who both make their third consecutive appearance, and San Francisco safety LANCE SCHULTERS – a first-time selection -- who is tied for second in the conference with six interceptions.

The remaining defensive reserves are Philadelphia free safety BRIAN DAWKINS, making his first trip to Honolulu, San Francisco interior lineman BRYANT YOUNG, who makes his second appearance after suffering a severe leg injury in 1998; and Arizona cornerback AENEAS WILLIAMS, who has been selected for the sixth year in a row.

Chicago Bears kick return specialist GLYN MILBURN, who leads the NFC with a 12.3 punt-return average, will compete in his second Pro Bowl.

The National Football Conference holds a 15-14 advantage over the American Football Conference in the Pro Bowl. The AFC won last season’s meeting 23-10. The coaching staff will be from the NFC Championship Game runner-up team.

The selected players with the most votes at each position are the designated starters. Under terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each player on the winning team receives $25,000, while each player on the losing squad earns $12,500.

OFFENSE

Wide receivers – Isaac Bruce, St. Louis; Cris Carter, Minnesota; Randy Moss, Minnesota; *Muhsin Muhammad, Carolina

Tackles – *Orlando Pace, St. Louis; William Roaf, New Orleans; Erik Williams, Dallas

Guards – Larry Allen, Dallas; Randall McDaniel, Minnesota; *Tre’ Johnson, Washington

Centers – Jeff Christy, Minnesota; Tony Mayberry, Tampa Bay

Tight Ends – Wesley Walls, Carolina; *David Sloan, Detroit

Quarterbacks – *Kurt Warner, St. Louis; *Brad Johnson, Washington; *Steve Beuerlein, Carolina

Running backs – Marshall Faulk, St. Louis; *Stephen Davis, Washington; Emmitt Smith, Dallas

Fullback – Mike Alstott, Tampa Bay

DEFENSE

Ends – *Kevin Carter, St. Louis; Michael Strahan, New York Giants; Robert Porcher, Detroit

Interior linemen – Warren Sapp, Tampa Bay; *Luther Ellis, Detroit; Bryant Young, San Francisco

Outside linebackers – Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay; Jessie Armstead, New York Giants; *Dexter Coakley, Dallas

Inside linebackers – Hardy Nickerson, Tampa Bay; *Stephen Boyd, Detroit

Cornerbacks – Deion Sanders, Dallas; *Todd Lyght, St. Louis; Aeneas Williams, Arizona

Strong safety – John Lynch, Tampa Bay

Free safeties – *Lance Schulters, San Francisco; *Brian Dawkins, Philadelphia

SPECIALISTS

Punter – *Mitch Berger, Minnesota

Placekicker – Jason Hanson, Detroit

Kick return specialist – Glyn Milburn, Chicago

Special teamer – Michael Bates, Carolina