– NFL Legends Captains Michael Irvin & Jerry Rice Assemble Pro Bowl Squads –
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Teams for the NFL’s 2016 Pro Bowl presented by USAA were finalized Wednesday (January 27) during the nationally-televised primetime Draft Show special on ESPN2. All 88 Pro Bowl players were in attendance for the live show, which was held at the Army’s historic Wheeler Army Airfield in Hawaii.
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Serving as NFL Legend team captains, Pro Football Hall of Famers MICHAEL IRVIN and JERRY RICE led the Draft selections for their respective squads. Five-time Pro Bowler DARREN WOODSON (Team Irvin) and two-time Pro Bowler ERIC DAVIS (Team Rice), who were previously tabbed defensive co-captains, assisted Irvin and Rice in the selection process.
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Prior to Wednesday’s show, initial selections for the 2016 Pro Bowl were made on Tuesday (January 26) by the NFL Legend team captains. Rice won a coin toss at Tuesday’s press conference and elected to choose New York Giants WR ODELL BECKHAM, JR. and St. Louis Rams DT AARON DONALD, the active player captains, to help determine the roster as the first members of Team Rice.
Irvin was assigned Cincinnati Bengals DT GENO ATKINS and Atlanta Falcons RB DEVONTA FREEMAN, the other players designated as active player captains. Irvin was also awarded the first selection in Tuesday’s pre-selection and Wednesday’s draft because Rice picked the active captain pairing.
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In Tuesday’s pre-selection, 34 players (17 per team) were drafted from certain position groups – tackles, guards, centers, interior defensive linemen, inside/middle linebackers, fullbacks, punters, kickers, return specialists and special teamers – and they were revealed for the first time during ESPN2’s live show.
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On Wednesday, Seattle Seahawks QB RUSSELL WILSON – a three-time Pro Bowler – was selected first overall by Team Irvin. Joining Wilson at the quarterback position for Team Irvin were QB JAMEIS WINSTON (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and QB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER (Minnesota Vikings).
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Team Rice selected New York Giants QB ELI MANNING with the draft’s second-overall selection. Rice also tabbed first-time Pro Bowlers Oakland Raiders QB DEREK CARR and Buffalo Bills QBTYROD TAYLOR.
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Team Irvin took Atlanta Falcons WR JULIO JONES with the draft’s third-overall pick, while Oakland Raiders DE KHALIL MACK was selected fourth overall with Team Rice’s second choice.
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Green Bay Packers OLB JULIUS PEPPERS, Cleveland Browns T JOE THOMAS and Oakland Raiders S CHARLES WOODSON – all making their ninth Pro Bowl appearances (the most among this year’s Pro Bowl players) – will play for Team Rice.
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Coaching Team Irvin will be the Green Bay Packers’ staff, led by WINSTON MOSS. (Packershead coach MIKE MCCARTHY will not attend this week’s Pro Bowl because of a stomach illness. Doctors have advised McCarthy not to travel at this time.) The Kansas City Chiefs’ staff, led by head coach ANDY REID, will coach Team Rice.
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The 2016 Pro Bowl presented by USAA will be played on Sunday, January 31 and televised live on ESPN at 7:00 PM ET from Aloha Stadium in Hawaii.
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Fans can purchase tickets to the 2016 Pro Bowl by visiting
ProBowl.com or by calling 1-844-4PB-TKTS.
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The 2016 Pro Bowl presented by USAA is an extension of USAA’s Official Military Appreciation Sponsorship of the NFL, which delivers military appreciation experiences to military, veterans and their families at NFL games, training camps and on military bases throughout the NFL season. USAA and the NFL will honor the more than 52,000 military men and women in Hawaii with a number of military appreciation initiatives throughout the week of Pro Bowl. During the week, USAA will also honor and commemorate the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Wheeler Army Airfield was one of the first sites hit during the December 7, 1941, attack.
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2016 PRO BOWL ROSTERS
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