Linebacker Luke Kuechly and tight end Greg Olsen were named to the 2015 Pro Bowl, the Natonal Football League announced Tuesday. This is the second consecutive Pro Bowl selection for Kuechly and the first for Olsen.
Kuechly, in his third NFL season, has started every game this year for the Panthers’ 10th-ranked defense. The 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, Kuechly leads the Panthers with 159 tackles and a career-high 10 passes defensed. He has added a career-high 3.0 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He has posted nine games with double-digit tackles.
“It’s always an honor to be recognized by fellow players, coaches and fans. I don’t take this for granted,” Kuechly said. “A lot of the credit goes to my teammates, coaches and Carolina Panthers organization. Without those guys this wouldn’t be possible. I’m excited about this opportunity and I’m excited for Greg to be a part of his first Pro Bowl.”
Olsen, in his eighth NFL season and fourth with the Panthers, is tied for the NFL lead among tight ends with 82 receptions, is second with 981 receiving yards and is tied for sixth with six receiving touchdowns. His receptions and receiving yards totals are new Panthers tight end records, surpassing his own team records of 843 yards (2012) and 73 catches (2013). He has started every game this season and has three 100-yard games, tied for the most by a tight end (Rob Gronkowski).
“It’s a tremendous honor to be selected to the Pro Bowl and be recognized by your peers, the coaches and the fans,” Olsen said. “It’s something that every player thinks about at one point in time. I’m very thankful and feel very fortunate to be a part of it.”
The 2015 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 25, 2015, and televised live on ESPN at 8 p.m. (ET) from University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, site of Super Bowl XLIX.
The Pro Bowl will be “unconferenced” for the second consecutive year. Last season, the familiar AFC vs. NFC matchup that had existed since 1971 was eliminated. Instead, players are selected without regard to conference in voting by fans, coaches and players. Players will later be assigned to teams through the Pro Bowl Draft during the week leading up to the game.
