Hawaii isn't a bad place to be in February, and five Packers players have earned a trip across the Pacific Ocean to bask in the tropical sunlight.
Thursday, Packers quarterback Brett Favre, running back Ahman Green, tight end Bubba Franks, right guard Marco Rivera and safety Darren Sharper were named to the 2002 NFC Pro Bowl team.
That's more Pro Bowl selections for the Packers than in the last two years combined.
For all but one of them, Thursday's announcement means a return trip. Favre has now been named to the all-star team seven times, while Green, Franks and Sharper will be making their second journeys.
For seven-year NFL veteran Rivera however, the Pro Bowl selection is not only the first of his career, but also the first for a Packers offensive lineman since Larry McCarren in 1983 (Frank Winters attended the Pro Bowl as an alternate in 1996).
Balloting for the Pro Bowl is comprised of three equally-weighted sections. The NFL is the only professional sports league to combine the votes of fans, coaches and players.
Fan voting on NFL.com generated 51,677,578 total votes this season. An all-time high, the fan participation showed an increase of almost 15 percent over last year, despite 13 fewer voting days.
Favre earned the most fan votes of any NFL player this season at 930,270. Bubba Franks (603,753) was ninth among offensive players, while Darren Sharper (224,572) was seventh among defensive players.
Pro Bowl alternates for the Packers are Donald Driver, Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, William Henderson, Ryan Longwell, Mike McKenzie and Mike Wahle.
Starting lineups will not be announced until Wild Card Saturday, January 4. The NFC starting lineups will be announced by ABC at halftime of the NFC Wild Card playoff, with AFC starting lineups announced during the AFC game.
Full NFC and AFC All-Star squads will be announced by the NFL tonight at 5:00 p.m. CT. ESPN will air the NFL Pro Bowl Selection Show at 6:00 p.m. CT.
The Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii, is February 2.
Packers Pro Bowl Players (previous seasons):
Brett Favre (1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001*)
Ahman Green (2001)
Bubba Franks (2001)
Marco Rivera (first-time honoree)
Darren Sharper (2000)
*Seasons named a starter in bold.
- -- selected, but did not play*
An official press release will follow.
