Dolphins’ Brent Grimes and Cameron Wake Named To Pro Bowl

Miami Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes and defensive end Cameron Wake have been selected to the 2015 NFL Pro Bowl squad, the NFL announced. The annual contest will be played on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ari., site of Super Bowl XLIX. The game will be televised live on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET.

Grimes, in his eighth season and second with the Dolphins, will make his second-consecutive and third overall trip to the Pro Bowl, having been selected to the 2011 NFC Pro Bowl squad as a member of the Atlanta Falcons. In 2014, Grimes has started all 15 games at cornerback and has recorded 56 tackles (46 solo) and leads the Dolphins with 13 passes defensed and five interceptions returned for 80 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown. His five interceptions are tied for the second-most in the AFC and tied for third overall in the NFL. Additionally, this season, he recorded interceptions in three-straight games in Weeks 8-10 (one at Jacksonville on Oct. 26, two vs. San Diego on Nov. 2 and one at Detroit on Nov. 9), matching his longest consecutive streak with an interception in his career dating back to 2009 with the Falcons. Grimes is the third Dolphins cornerback selected to the Pro Bowl, joining Sam Madison (1999-2002) and Patrick Surtain (2002-04). He also became the third player, and the first in 20 years, to earn a Pro Bowl invitation in his first two seasons with the Dolphins after coming over from another team. Grimes, who signed as an unrestricted free agent in March 2013 after playing for the Falcons, joined tight end Keith Jackson (1993-94) and wide receiver Irving Fryar (1994-95).

Wake, in his sixth season, will be making his fourth trip to the Pro Bowl and third as a defensive end (he made the Pro Bowl in 2011 after a 14-sack season as a linebacker). In 2014, Wake has started all 15 games and has notched 33 tackles (29 solo), 11.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss, tied his career high with three forced fumbles (2010) and one fumble recovery. With his 11.5 sacks this season, Wake became the fourth Dolphins player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 to record double digit sacks in at least three seasons with the team – Jason Taylor (six seasons), Trace Armstrong (three seasons) and Jeff Cross (three seasons).  In Week 1 vs. New England, he recorded two sacks and two forced fumbles, the first time in his career that he has tallied two forced fumbles in a game and the first Dolphins player to record at least two sacks and two forced fumbles in the same game since 2009. Also, for the second time in his career (2012), he tallied sacks five consecutive games in Weeks 6-10 (1.5 vs. Green Bay on Oct. 12, 1.0 at Chicago on Oct. 19, 1.0 at Jacksonville on Oct. 26, 1.0 vs. San Diego and 2.0 vs. Detroit).

Wake is one of only two Dolphins players to earn Pro Bowl recognition at different positions (linebacker in 2011 and defensive end from 2013-15), joining teammate Randy Starks who was selected as a defensive end in 2011 and as a defensive tackle in 2013.

The Pro Bowl will be “unconferenced” for the second consecutive year. Last season, the AFC vs. NFC match-up that had existed since 1971 was eliminated. The Pro Bowl players are determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group’s vote counts one-third toward determining the All-Star players. Players will be assigned to teams during the 2015 Pro Bowl Draft on NFL Network on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 8 p.m. ET.