If the vote for the 2016 Associated Press All-Pro team is any indication – and it generally is – Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan will be celebrating his first MVP win in a few weeks.
The AP All-Pro team, which is voted on by a national panel of 50 media members, is the one recognized by the NFL at its now-annual Honors event the night before the Super Bowl.
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Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are on the AP NFL All-Pro team. (AP)
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Ryan beat out New England Patriots star Tom Brady for the quarterback spot on the first team, 29 votes to 15; Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers got 5 votes and Oakland’s Derek Carr got 1.
Brady, as we all know, was suspended for the first four games of the season due to the deflate-gate saga. In four of the last five years, the quarterback chosen first-team All-Pro was also league MVP; the exception is 2012, when Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson was named MVP.
(Brady was, however, voted NFL MVP by four of six Shutdown Corner voters earlier this week.)
There were three rookies on the first team this year, the most in 35 years: Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott, Kansas City Chiefs PR Tyreek Hill, and Tennessee Titans RT Jack Conklin. In 1981, Lawrence Taylor, Ronnie Lott and George Rogers were named All-Pro; Taylor and Lott are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
This is the first year AP voters were asked to vote for each offensive line position individually, rather than the two best tackles and two best guards. They also voted for a “flex” player on offense, a fifth defensive back, a punt returner and a special teams specialist.
Here is the full first team:
QB – Matt Ryan, Atlanta
RB – Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas
WR – Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh and Julio Jones, Atlanta
TE – Travis Kelce, Kansas City
FLEX – David Johnson, Arizona
OFFENSIVE LINE – LT Tyron Smith, Dallas; LG Kelechi Osemele, Oakland; C Travis Frederick, Dallas; RG Zack Martin, Dallas; RT Jack Conklin, Tennessee
DE – Khalil Mack, Oakland and Vic Beasley Jr., Atlanta
DT – Aaron Donald, Los Angeles and Damon Harrison, New York Giants
LB – Von Miller, Denver, Bobby Wagner, Seattle and Sean Lee, Dallas
DB – Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr., Denver, Marcus Peters and Eric Berry, Kansas City, and Landon Collins, New York Giants
K – Justin Tucker, Baltimore (unanimous)
P – Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles
KR – Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota
PR – Tyreek Hill, Kansas City (unanimous)
ST – Matthew Slater, New England
And here’s the second team:
QB – Tom Brady, New England
RB – David Johnson, Arizona
WR – Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants and Mike Evans, Tampa Bay
TE – Greg Olsen, Carolina
FLEX – Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh
OFFENSIVE LINE – LT David Bakhtiari, Green Bay; LG Marshall Yanda, Baltimore; C Alex Mack, Atlanta; RG David DeCastro, Pittsburgh; RT (tie) Marcus Cannon, New England and Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City
DE – (tie) Cameron Wake, Miami, Olivier Vernon, New York Giants, Jadeveon Clowney, Houston and Brandon Graham, Philadelphia
DT – Ndamukong Suh, Miami and Calais Campbell, Arizona
LB – Lorenzo Alexander, Buffalo; Luke Kuechly, Carolina; (tie) C.J. Mosley, Baltimore Zach Brown, Buffalo, Zachary Orr, Baltimore, Alec Ogletree, Los Angeles, Dont’a Hightower, New England, Benardrick McKinney, Houston, Lavonte David, Tampa Bay and Whitney Mercilus, Houston
DB – Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants; (tie) Malcolm Butler, New England and Casey Hayward, San Diego; Devin McCourty, New England; Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, New York Giants
P – Marquette King, Oakland
KR – (tie) Tyler Lockett, Seattle and Tyreek Hill, Kansas City
ST – Nate Ebner, New England
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