NFC Pro Bowl Squad

NFL 2008: Vikings' Running Back Adrian Peterson Ready to Pick Up Where He Left Off

Giants & Vikings Lead NFC with 6 Players on Pro Bowl Squad. 14 First-time Pro Bowl Selections on NFC All-Star Roster

The New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings placed a conference-high six players on this season's NFC Pro Bowl roster.

Fourteen NFC players will participate in their first Pro Bowl, including New York Giants quarterback ELI MANNING, who will join his quarterback brother PEYTON, a nine-time All-Star with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Mannings are the first quarterback brothers to be named to the same Pro Bowl and the fourth set of brothers to be selected in the same season (BRUCE and CLAY MATTHEWS, 1989-90; SHANNON and STERLING SHARPE, 1993-95; RONDE and TIKI BARBER, 2005-07).

Minnesota running back ADRIAN PETERSON, who leads the NFL in rushing (1,581 yards), returns to Hawaii after winning the 2008 Pro Bowl MVP award as a rookie.

Joining Peterson are fellow Vikings defensive end JARED ALLEN (second Pro Bowl), guard STEVE HUTCHINSON (sixth), defensive tackles PAT WILLIAMS (third) and KEVIN WILLIAMS (fourth), and cornerback ANTOINE WINFIELD (first).

Along with Eli Manning, three other Giants make their Pro Bowl debuts -- center SHAUN O'HARA, guard CHRIS SNEE and defensive end JUSTIN TUCK. They join veteran kicker JOHN CARNEY (second Pro Bowl) and punter JEFF FEAGLES (second).

Carney was an All-Star in 1995 with San Diego and Feagles was selected to the 1996 Pro Bowl with Arizona. Carney's 14 seasons between Pro Bowl selections is the longest such period in NFL history.

NFC Pro Bowl Selections on Offense

The starting NFC quarterback is four-time All-Star KURT WARNER of the NFC West-champion Arizona Cardinals. Warner, who was last selected to the 2002 Pro Bowl, returns to the Pro Bowl squad after seven seasons, the third-longest such period for a QB since 1970 (RANDALL CUNNINGHAM and PHIL SIMMS, eight years).

Joining Warner at quarterback are three-time All-Star DREW BREES of New Orleans, the leading vote-getter among fans, and Eli Manning of New York. Brees and Archie Manning (1979-80) are the only quarterbacks in Saints history to be named to the Pro Bowl.

Starting at running back for the NFC is Peterson, who is the first player to start the Pro Bowl at RB in each of his first two seasons since EDGERRIN JAMES (2000-01).

He is joined by Washington's CLINTON PORTIS, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, and first-time All-Star MICHAEL TURNER of Atlanta. Portis, who was previously selected in 2004 with Denver, is the first Redskins' All-Star at the position since STEPHEN DAVIS in 2001. Turner, who ranks second in the NFL with 1,421 rushing yards, is the first Falcons running back in the Pro Bowl since WARRICK DUNN in 2006.

Filling out the backfield at fullback is the Redskins MIKE SELLERS, who makes his first Pro Bowl appearance.

The starting wide receivers for the NFC are Arizona's ANQUAN BOLDIN and LARRY FITZGERALD, both selected for the third time.

Along with QB Warner, this marks the first time in the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl that the starting quarterback and both wide receivers for the All-Star squad are from the same team. The other receivers for the NFC are Carolina's STEVE SMITH and Atlanta's RODDY WHITE. Smith is making his fourth All-Star appearance and third as a wide receiver. White, a first-time selection, is the first Falcons wide receiver to go to Hawaii since TERANCE MATHIS in 1995.

Starting at tight end for the NFC is Dallas' JASON WITTEN, who will play in his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl.

For the second consecutive season, he is joined by Washington's CHRIS COOLEY, who is the second tight end in Redskins history to be named to multiple Pro Bowls (JERRY SMITH, 1968, 1970).

Minnesota's Hutchinson makes his sixth consecutive trip to Hawaii and will start at guard along with New York's Snee. The Cowboys' LEONARD DAVIS, who made his Pro Bowl debut last season, rounds out the position.

Dallas' ANDRE GURODE will start at center, his third consecutive All-Star selection. The Giants' O'Hara is the other center for the NFC.

The starting tackles are Seattle's WALTER JONES, who has been selected to the Pro Bowl a franchise-record nine times, and Carolina's JORDAN GROSS, a first-time All-Star. Washington's CHRIS SAMUELS, making his sixth Pro Bowl appearance, is the NFC's third tackle.

NFC Pro Bowl Selections on Defense

Four-time All-Star JULIUS PEPPERS of Carolina and the Giants Justin Tuck start at defensive end for the NFC. Peppers' four Pro Bowl appearances are the most by a defensive player in Panthers franchise history. Minnesota's Allen, who last year played for the AFC All-Star team as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, was also chosen to represent the NFC.

The starters on the interior defensive line are four-time All-Star Kevin Williams of Minnesota and first-time Pro Bowl selection JAY RATLIFF of Dallas. Williams' teammate Pat Williams makes his third Pro Bowl appearance and fills out the position.

A pair of second-year players will man the inside linebacker position for the NFC. San Francisco's PATRICK WILLIS, last year's Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year, will get the start, his second consecutive All-Star appearance. He will be joined at the position by Carolina's JON BEASON, who is making his Pro Bowl debut.

The starting outside linebackers are Chicago's LANCE BRIGGS and Dallas' DE MARCUS WARE, the NFL's sack leader (19.0). Briggs has been selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls and Ware has been named an All-Star in each of the past three seasons. Tampa Bay's DERRICK BROOKS was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the 11th time in his career, the second-most All-Star selections for a linebacker in NFL history (JUNIOR SEAU, 12).

At cornerback, five-time Pro Bowl selection CHARLES WOODSON of Green Bay and Minnesota's Winfield get the starting nod. Philadelphia's ASANTE SAMUEL, who made his Pro Bowl debut last season with New England, will also represent the conference.

The secondary is rounded out with free safeties NICK COLLINS of Green Bay and BRIAN DAWKINS of Philadelphia and strong safety ADRIAN WILSON of Arizona. Collins, who is making his Pro Bowl debut, and Wilson, playing in his second All-Star Game, will start. Dawkins has been selected to seven Pro Bowls, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE for the second most in Eagles history.

NFC Pro Bowl Selections on Special Teams

The special teams duties for the NFC will be handled by two Giants -- Carney and Feagles -- and two first-time All-Stars. Tampa Bay rookie CLIFTON SMITH, who aims to become the third player in NFL history to lead the league in both kick-return and punt-return average, will be the return specialist. Arizona's SEAN MOREY, who joins former Minnesota tight end STEVE JORDAN (1987-92) as the only players from Brown to earn a Pro Bowl berth, is the special teamer.

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 AFC head coach and must be a cornerback, defensive end, linebacker or long snapper.

The 2009 NFC coaching staff will be from the NFC 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 NFC Pro Bowl Roster

(Starters listed in Bold; * First-time Pro Bowl selection)

QUARTERBACKS
Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
* Eli Manning, New York Giants

RUNNING BACKS
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
Clinton Portis, Washington Redskins
* Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons

WIDE RECEIVERS
Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers
* Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons

TIGHT ENDS
Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins

FULLBACK
* Mike Sellers, Washington Redskins

TACKLES
* Jordan Gross, Carolina Panthers
Walter Jones, Seattle Seahawks
Chris Samuels, Washington Redskins

GUARDS
Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota Vikings
* Chris Snee, New York Giants
Leonard Davis, Dallas Cowboys

CENTERS
Andre Gurode, Dallas Cowboys
* Shaun O'Hara, New York Giants

DEFENSIVE ENDS
Julius Peppers, Carolina Panthers
* Justin Tuck, New York Giants
Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
* Jay Ratliff, Dallas Cowboys
Kevin Williams, Minnesota Vikings
Pat Williams, Minnesota Vikings

INSIDE/MIDDLE LINEBACKERS
Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers
* Jon Beason, Carolina Panthers

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Lance Briggs, Chicago Bears
DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys
Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

CORNERBACKS
* Antoine Winfield, Minnesota Vikings
Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers
Asante Samuel, Philadelphia

FREE SAFETY
* Nick Collins, Green Bay Packers
Brian Dawkins, Philadelphia Eagles

STRONG SAFETY
Adrian Wilson, Arizona Cardinals

SPECIALISTS
Jeff Feagles, New York Giants (PUNTER)
* Clifton Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (RETURNS SPECIALIST)
John Carney, New York Giants (PLACEKICKER)
* Sean Morey, Arizona (SPECIAL TEAMER)

AFC Pro Bowl Squad and All-Star Player Selections

NFL - 2009 NFC Pro Bowl Players All Star Selections