[ad_1]
Dynamic defensive star Aaron Donald and unstoppable tight end Travis Kelce are unanimous on Friday for the Associated Press NFL All-Pro team.
Donald and Kelce swept the votes of a national panel of 50 members of the media who regularly cover the league. This is the sixth All-Pro selection for Donald, who helped the Los Angeles Rams occupy the best defense in the NFL, and the third for Kelce, the Kansas City record.
“I think the best display of greatness is making the people around you better,” Rams coach Sean McVay said of Donald. “And that’s exactly what he does, by the way he influences them every week.”
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes praised Kelce for the way he approaches his job.
“He works his tail every day and he trains every day and he makes sure he’s ready for those times,” Mahomes says. “For a guy to be so talented, to work hard and to really be able to learn every day like that, that’s what makes him so special on the pitch.
Joining Donald and Kelce are 15 returning players and 14 newcomers. Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner is also making his sixth team.
“The wonderful durability he’s shown for the middle linebacker after all these years is just off the charts,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said.
Aaron Rodgers, who guided Green Bay (13-3) to the NFC seed, makes his third team, as does Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill. First selected in offensive skill positions are 2,000-yard runner Derrick Henry of Tennessee, Buffalo shooter Stefon Diggs, who led the NFL in catches and receiving yards, and Rodgers’ favorite target Davante Adams.
“For me, honestly, I think it’s fair to find different little things that I can improve myself in, obviously,” Adams says. “I feel like I’m a fairly complete receiver. … it’s just about tweaking the things I do well and finding a way to make them even better.
Diggs was traded by Minnesota to Buffalo during the offseason and then made a huge impact when the Bills won their first AFC East in 25 years.
“For me, it was just in whatever situation I was going to be placed or chosen in,” says Diggs, “I was just going to kiss. The first thing I always try to do is gain the respect of my teammates and coaches. and that is by working your (butt), keep grinding and working and letting the shavings fall where they are.
The Packers and Colts both have four All-Pros. Green Bay left tackle David Bakhtiari makes his second appearance and center Corey Linsley his first. Indianapolis has inside lineman DeForest Buckner and linebacker Darius Leonard on defense, left guard Quenton Nelson on offense and George Odum as a special teammate. Nelson is a three-time All-Pro, Leonard a double-selection, while Buckner and Odum are making it for the first time.
To complete the attack, Cleveland right tackle Jack Conklin (second selection) and Washington right guard Brandon Scherff (first).
Also on defense are edge rushers TJ Watt, the NFL sacks leader for Pittsburgh who is on his second All-Pro team, and newcomer Myles Garrett of Cleveland; San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner (first cap); cornerback Xavien Howard (first) of Miami, the league’s interception leader, and Jalen Ramsey (second) of the Rams; and safeties Tyrann Mathieu (third) of Kansas City, Minkah Fitzpatrick of Pittsburgh and Budda Baker of Arizona, both for the second time. There was a tie between Fitzpatrick and Baker for second safe place.
The long snapper position is new for the All-Pro team in 2020, and Morgan Cox of Baltimore is the choice. Chicago kicking returner Cordarrelle Patterson arrives for the fourth time. The other special team positions are newcomers: Miami kicker Jason Sanders, New England punter Jake Bailey and kick returner Gunner Olszewski.
The repeaters for 2019 are Donald, Wagner, Nelson, Watt, Fitzpatrick, Mathieu and Patterson.
In all, 18 players represent the AFC, which is considered the strongest conference this season, and 11 for the NFC. Exactly half of the 32 clubs have a 2020 All-Pro.
___
AP Pro Football writers Josh Dubow and Simmi Buttar, as well as sports writers Dave Skretta, John Wawrow, Steve Megargee and Tim Booth contributed.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
[ad_2]
Source link