QB Russell Wilson, who leads the NFL with a 111.4 passer rating, earned the third Pro Bowl selection of his four-year career Tuesday, leading a parade of seven Seahawks selected for the NFC-AFC All-Star game in Honolulu Jan. 31. Notably snubbed: WR Doug Baldwin, who is tied for the NFL lead in TD catches with 13, including 10 in his past four games.
Seattle’s other Pro Bowl picks are DE Michael Bennett, LB Bobby Wagner, KR Tyler Lockett, and three members of the Legion of Boom, FS Earl Thomas, SS Kam Chancellor and CB Richard Sherman.
This is the fifth consecutive season that Seattle has had at least five representatives in the Pro Bowl and it ties the franchise record with seven selections (also 1984, 2005).
Wilson, whose NFL-record 19 TD, 0 INT splurge over Seattle’s past five games secured his selection, joined Tom Brady of New England, Cam Newton of Carolina, Carson Palmer of Arizona, Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay and Ben Roethlisberger of Pittsburgh on the QB roster.
Wilson is the first player in NFL history to throw at least three touchdowns with no interceptions in five consecutive games.
Bennett’s selection is his first. He is tied for third in the NFC (T-10 NFL) with a career-high 9.5 sacks, including a team-leading 25 quarterback hits (7th NFL) and 49 tackles (31 solo) among defensive linemen.
Wagner is second on the Seahawks with 101 tackles (56 solo) and is the second player in franchise history (Terry Beeson, 1977-80) to record four consecutive 100-tackle seasons. Wagner is a Pro Bowler for the second time.
A rookie, Lockett this year joined Hall of Famer Gale Sayers (1965, Chicago) as the only first-year players in NFL history to have at least six TD receptions, a kickoff return TD and a punt return TD in a single season. He had a franchise-record 105-yard kickoff return TD vs. Chicago Sept. 27 and a 57-yard punt return TD vs. St. Louis Sept. 13, Seattle’s first punt-return score since 2007.
Thomas ranks fourth on the Seahawks with 59 tackles (41 solo) and leads the club with four interceptions. His 20 career interceptions rank tied for seventh in franchise history. This is his fifth Pro Bowl selection.
Chancellor, who sat out the first two games in a contract dispute, ranks third on the Seahawks with 74 tackles. This is his fourth Pro Bowl selection.
Sherman has two interceptions this season and, since 2011, his 26 picks and 81 passes defensed lead the NFL. Sherman’s 26 INTs rank tied for sixth in NFL history in a player’s first five seasons. He also leads the team with 13 passes defensed. This is Sherman’s third Pro Bowl selection in five seasons.
Baldwin is one of five Seattle Pro Bowl alternates. The others: DE Cliff Avril, K Steven Hauschka, RB Marshawn Lynch and T Russell Okung.
6 Comments
Baldwin is 25th in total yards (#1 @ 1,586 vs 905) and 32nd in receptions (65 vs #1 @ 118), so let’s dispense with the homer effect concerning Baldwin. He isn’t even close.
But he leads in TDs with 13. An argument can be made for him to be named over Calvin Johnson who has 71 receptions for 981 yards and 7 TDs.
Good point. This is a case of name familiarity and body of work, over a career. Remember the fans vote is 1/3 of the result. East coast fans don’t even know Baldwin’s alive, much less the Seahawks.
A simple question regarding # of catches by Baldwin. How many would he have if he played in an offense that threw a majority of the time? Also, isn’t the onjective scoring touchdowns instead of yards gained? Don’t think ANY team has EVER won a game because of yards gained. Love to see % of passes caught resulting in TD.
When Brian Bosworth was a rookie he said when the time for naming the Pro Bowl starters came around team captain Kenny Easley walked into the locker room, wrote several names on the chalk board and told the room “These are the players we need to vote for.” I don’t know if things are different today but I really don’t get how Marshawn can be named an alternate. Also think Chancellor being named as a starter could be a stretch. His 74 total tackles are 11th among NFC safeties. Considering how many players go to the Pro Bowl I think having at least one player from every team could be adopted as a rule and not have repeating players. I’d like to see Avril, Baldwin and Hauschka go.
Actually, I hope none go because they’re in the Super Bowl.
Would like to have seen KJ Wright on there – at least as an alternate. He’s having the best season of any Seahawk linebacker.