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The AFC roster includes 17 first-time All-Star selections, including Denver Broncos quarterback JAY CUTLER, who leads the
AFC with 3,851 yards passing.
AFC Pro Bowl Selections on Offense
Nine-time Pro Boal selection PEYTON MANNING of the Indianapolis Colts will be the starting quarterback.
This is Manning's seventh consecutive Pro Bowl. New York Jets quarterback BRETT FAVRE was selected to his 10th All-Star
game. This is Favre's first time representing the AFC. With this year's selection, Favre ties JOHNNY UNITAS for most
All-Star selections by a quarterback with 10 and he is the first Jets QB to appear in a Pro Bowl since VINNY TESTAVERDE
(1998 season). In his third season, Broncos quarterback Cutler joins veterans Manning and Favre to round out
the AFC's passing attack.
The AFC's backfield consists of four first-time Pro Bowl Selections.
New York Jets running back THOMAS JONES has earned a starting role. Jones has set the Jets season record with
15 touchdowns and currently leads the AFC with 1,222 rushing yards. At 260 pounds, LE' RON MC CLAIN has utilized his size
by pounding his way to a career-high seven rushing touchdowns this season. The first-time All-Star will be the AFC's
starter at fullback.
The other running back Pro Bowl selections to the AFC squad include be Tennessee Titans rookie CHRIS JOHNSON
and RONNIE BROWN of the Miami Dolphins. Johnson ranks second in the AFC with 1,159 rushing yards and joins EARL
CAMPBELL (1978 season) as the only Titans (Oilers) rookie running back to be named the Pro Bowl squad. A
first-round pick in 2005, Brown is the first Dolphins running back to be named to the Pro Bowl since RICKY WILLIAMS 2002.
The four receivers chosen for the AFC's 2009 All-Star team includes Houston's ANDRE JOHNSON, who leads the NFL in
receptions (103) and receiving yards (1,408). The sixth-year NFL veteran makes his third Pro Bowl appearance.
First-time selection BRANDON MARSHALL of the Denver Broncos is the other starter. Colts wide receiver REGGIE WAYNE
and first-timer WES WELKER of the New England Patriots, who ranks second in the NFL behind Johnson with 102 receptions
round out the AFC All-Star receiving foursome.
Representing the AFC at tight end will be 10-time All-Star TONY GONZALEZ of the Kansas City Chiefs, who has been
selected to the most Pro Bowls at the position in NFL history. In his 12th season, Gonzalez leads NFL tight ends in
receptions (84), receiving yards (941) and touchdowns (8). In his sixth season, San Diego's ANTONIO GATES has been
selected to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl.
In his first year with the Jets, 11-year veteran guard ALAN FANECA makes his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl trip and will
be joined at the other starting guard position by KRIS DIELMAN of San Diego, who makes his second All-Star game in a row.
Kansas City's BRIAN WATERS, who plays a pivotal role on a young Chiefs offensive line, has been selected to his fourth
consecutive Pro Bowl.
In his 15th NFL season, Tennessee's KEVIN MAWAE starts at center for the AFC in his first Pro Bowl with the Titans
and seventh overall. AFC All-Star NICK MANGOLD of the Jets has earned his first Pro Bowl appearance.
The group of AFC Pro Bowl tackles include two-time Pro Bowl selections JASON PETERS of the Buffalo Bills and JOE THOMAS
of the Cleveland Browns. MICHAEL ROOS of Tennessee, playing in his first Pro Bowl, is the AFC's other tackle.
AFC Pro Bowl Selections on Defense
On defense, the AFC's starting interior linemen are ALBERT HAYNESWORTH of Tennessee and New York's KRIS JENKINS.
Haynesworth has earned his second consecutive start and Jenkins his fourth Pro Bowl appearance and first with the AFC.
Accompanying Haynesworth and Jenkins will be Cleveland's SHAUN ROGERS, who completes a mammoth interior group for the AFC.
A trio of AFC South rushers will be on display at defensive end. MARIO WILLIAMS of Houston makes his Pro Bowl debut as
a starter and will be joined by Indianapolis defensive end DWIGHT FREENEY in his fourth Pro Bowl in seven seasons
with the Colts. Freeney's teammate ROBERT MATHIS will cap off this trio with the first All-Star appearance of his
six-year career.
Sacks are plentiful for the AFC's starting outside linebackers – Miami's JOEY PORTER ranks first in the AFC with 17.5
and JAMES HARRISON of Pittsburgh is second in the conference with 15.0. Porter will make his fourth All-Star appearance
and first as a Dolphin, while Harrison settles in with his second consecutive Pro Bowl start. Joining Porter and Harrison
at outside linebacker is TERRELL SUGGS, who has 7.5 sacks and two interception-touchdown returns for Baltimore.
Roaming the middle of the AFC defense will be two AFC North linebackers from the NFL's top-two-ranked defenses -- RAY
LEWIS of Baltimore and JAMES FARRIOR of Pittsburgh. In his 13th season from Miami, Lewis will start as he makes his ninth
appearance in Hawaii. Farrior, the captain of the league's No. 1 defense will appear in his second All-Star game.
Three first-time Pro Bowl selections will represent the AFC at cornerback. NNAMDI ASOMUGHA of Oakland and CORTLAND
FINNEGAN of Tennessee will pair as the starters. Asomugha is the first Raiders cornerback since CHARLES WOODSON in 2001
to earn All-Star status. In his second NFL season, New York cornerback DARRELLE REVIS will make his Pro Bowl debut.
Revis is tied for second in the NFL with five interceptions.
Two of the NFL's elite players start at safety for the AFC. Pittsburgh's strong safety TROY POLAMALU earns his fifth
consecutive AFC Pro Bowl selection and Ravens free safety ED REED earned his fifth Pro Bowl appointment in seven seasons.
First-time Pro Bowl selection CHRIS HOPE of the Tennessee Titans joins starting safeties Polamalu and Reed.
AFC Pro Bowl Selections on Special Teams
The AFC special teams unit is comprised of four players, including two first-time Pro Bowl honorees.
New York Jets kick returner LEON WASHINGTON makes his first trip to the Pro Bowl as does Patriots kicker STEPHEN
GOSTKOWSKI, who leads the AFC with 124 points. Gostkowski is tied for first in the conference with 30 field goals.
Baltimore linebacker BRENDON AYANBADEJO, who leads the Ravens with 26 special teams tackles, will serve as the AFC's
special teamer. Ayanbadejo makes his third consecutive Pro Bowl and his first with the Ravens. Concluding the special
teams group will be Oakland's veteran punter SHANE LECHLER. The four-time All-Star leads the AFC with a 48.8 average
and has placed 28 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
The 42-man AFC squad is comprised of 21 offensive and 17 defensive players plus four specialists. A 43rd "need" player
will be chosen by the AFC head coach and must be a cornerback, defensive end, linebacker or long snapper.
The 2009 AFC coaching staff will be from the AFC Championship Game runner-up team.
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 each group counts one-third towards the total. Each team submits two ballots –
those of the coach and the players with no one permitted to vote for a player on his own team.
This year, nearly 85 million fan votes were cast on NFL.com.
The National Conference defeated the American Conference 42-30 last season in the Pro Bowl. The all-time series is
tied 19-19.
Each player on the winning Pro Bowl team receives $45,000, while each player on the losing squad earns $22,500.
2009 AFC Pro Bowl Roster
(Starters listed in Bold; * First-time Pro Bowl selection)
QUARTERBACKS
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis
Brett Favre, New York Jets
* Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos
RUNNING BACKS
* Thomas Jones, New York Jets
* Ronnie Brown, Miami
* Chris Johnson, Tennessee
WIDE RECEIVERS
Andre Johnson, Houston Texans
* Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos
Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts
* Wes Welker, New England Patriots
TIGHT ENDS
Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs
Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers
FULLBACK
* Le’Ron McClain, Baltimore Ravens
TACKLES
Jason Peters, Buffalo Bills
* Michael Roos, Tennessee Titans
Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns
GUARDS
Kris Dielman, San Diego Chargers
Alan Faneca, New York Jets
Brian Waters, Kansas City Chiefs
CENTERS
Kevin Mawae, Tennessee Titans
* Nick Mangold, New York Jets
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis Colts
* Mario Williams, Houston Texans
* Robert Mathis, Indianapolis Colts
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee Titans
Kris Jenkins, New York Jets
Shaun Rogers, Cleveland Browns
INSIDE/MIDDLE LINEBACKERS
Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens
James Farrior, Pittsburgh Steelers
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers
Joey Porter, Miami Dolphins
Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens
CORNERBACKS
* Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland Raiders
* Cortland Finnegan, Tennessee Titans
* Darrelle Revis, New York Jets
FREE SAFETY
Ed Reed, Baltimore Ravens
STRONG SAFETY
Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers
* Chris Hope, Tennessee Titans
SPECIALISTS
Shane Lechler, Oakland Raiders (PUNTER)
* Leon Washington, New York Jets (RETURNS SPECIALIST)
* Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots (PLACEKICKER)
Brendon Ayanbadejo, Baltimore Ravens (SPECIAL TEAMER)
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