With more than 31 million votes cast by fans on NFL.com, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre (574,1999) continues to lead all NFL All-Stars in balloting for the 2003 Pro Bowl, the NFL announced Wednesday.
Favre is just one of seven Packers players to lead NFC voting at his position. Matt Bowen (special teams), Earl Dotson (tackle), Mike Flanagan (center), Bubba Franks (tight end), Ryan Longwell (kicker) and Darren Sharper (free safety) also lead at their positions.
Ahman Green is 10th overall in votes received by offensive NFL players. Although he trails St. Louis' Marshall Faulk (403,786) and New Orleans' Deuce McAllister (372,905) in NFC voting at running back. Franks (360,583) is ninth among NFL offensive players.
On the defensive side, Sharper (129,461) ranks sixth in league voting.
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
QB, Brett Favre, Packers, 574,199
QB, Drew Bledsoe, Bills, 491,644
RB, Priest Holmes, Chiefs, 448,529
TE, Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs, 408,257
FB, Mike Alstott, Buccaneers, 405,753
RB, Marshall Faulk, Rams, 403,786
RB, Deuce McAllister, Saints, 372,905
QB, Rich Gannon, Raiders, 368,977
TE, Bubba Franks, Packers, 360,583
RB, Ahman Green, Packers, 345,667
TOP-TEN DEFENSIVE
LB, Brian Urlacher, Bears, 223,890
IL, Warren Sapp, Buccaneers, 195,281
DE, Jason Taylor, Dolphins, 154,209
DE, Julius Peppers, Panthers, 149,006
FS, Rod Woodson, Raiders, 140,088
LB, Zach Thomas, Dolphins, 138,362
FS, Darren Sharper, Packers, 129,461
CB, Champ Bailey, Redskins, 128,518
LB, Ray Lewis, Ravens, 119,848
CB, Ronde Barber, Buccaneers, 115,743
NFL ALL-STAR TOP-FIVE ROOKIE VOTE-GETTERS
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
NFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS
QB, Brett Favre, Packers,574,199
RB, Marshall Faulk, Rams, 403,786
FB, Mike Alstott, Buccaneers, 405,753
WR, Terrell Owens, 49ers, 286,265
TE, Bubba Franks, Packers, 360,583
T, Earl Dotson, Packers, 84,753
G, Larry Allen, Cowboys, 94,055
C, Mike Flanagan, Packers, 112,318
K, Ryan Longwell, Packers, 192,381
KR, Michael Lewis, Saints, 137,155
DE, Julius Peppers, Panthers, 149,006
IL, Warren Sapp, Buccaneers, 195,281
OLB, Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers, 99,347
ILB, Brian Urlacher, Bears, 223,890
CB, Champ Bailey, Redskins, 128,518
SS, Sammy Knight, Saints, 79,698
FS, Darren Sharper, Packers, 129,461
P, Todd Sauerbrun, Panthers, 156,951
ST, Matt Bowen, Packers, 68,713
AFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS
QB, Drew Bledsoe, Bills, 491,644
RB, Priest Holmes, Chiefs, 448,529
FB, Mike Anderson, Broncos, 270,284
WR, Eric Moulds, Bills, 295,152
TE, Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs, 408,257
T, Willie Roaf, Chiefs, 83,074
G, Will Shields, Chiefs, 68,325
C, Tom Nalen, Broncos, 61,433
K, Morten Andersen, Chiefs, 234,488
KR, Chad Morton, Jets, 93,226
DE, Jason Taylor, Dolphins, 154,209
IL, Gary Walker, Texans, 78,562
OLB, Joey Porter, Steeler, 88,556
ILB, Zach Thomas, Dolphins, 138,362
CB, Patrick Surtain, Dolphins, 105,582
SS, Greg Wesley, Chiefs, 56,476
FS, Rod Woodson, Raiders, 140,088
P, Brian Moorman, Bills, 78,668
ST, Larry Izzo, Patriots, 57,546
