Tag: Pro Bowl

Badgers in the NFL: JJ Watt reveals phone number and texts with fans

Former Wisconsin Badgers defensive end JJ Watt posted his phone number on Instagram, and has responded to hundreds of texts from fans.

If there’s ever been anything you wanted to say directly to Wisconsin Badgers legend JJ Watt, now is your chance.

The future Hall of Fame defensive end, now with the Houston Texans, is using his extra free time after going on the injured reserve to connect with his fans in an even more direct way than his usual strong presence on social media.

View this post on Instagram

text me. 262.404.3664

A post shared by JJ Watt (@jjwatt) on

That’s right, Watt posted his phone number and allowed fans to reach out to him directly. He admitted he was looking for better ways to connect with his fans, and wanted to try out direct texting.

Watt said he received over 25,000 texts, and while he did take the time to respond to hundreds of them, don’t be surprised if your text goes unanswered while the Pro Bowler navigates his sea of fans over the next few weeks.

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Michael Thomas trails only Amari Cooper in Pro Bowl voting

New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas might be the best in the game, but he’s behind Dallas Cowboys WR Amari Cooper in Pro Bowl voting.

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The 2020 Pro Bowl is months away, giving New Orleans Saints fans an opportunity to vote their favorite players into this year’s exhibition game. Fans can vote by following this link; we put together a list of all of the Saints players on this year’s ballot in this post.

Voting has been open for over a week, but no Saints players yet lead their category in votes earned, which is disappointing. It doesn’t help that the Pro Bowl’s position breakdowns are outdated, pitting fan-favorite Saints such as linebacker Demario Davis against pass rushers like Green Bay Packers star Preston Smith.

According to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, one Saints player is within striking range of first place: wide receiver Michael Thomas, who some have suggested deserves recognition as the league’s Most Valuable Player. But even Thomas, the NFL’s leader in both receptions (94) and receiving yards (1,141), trails behind someone else: Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper.

That shouldn’t be too surprising. Cooper’s career has gone through a complete turnaround since the Cowboys acquired him in a trade with the Oakland Raiders, and he’s the focal point of their passing attack (logging 56 receptions for 886 yards so far). Dallas also enjoys the benefits of a national brand they’ve spent decades building, spurred on by the Cowboys’ first playoff win in five years last season. Cooper is one of the best players on a popular team, so of course he’s going to earn a ton of votes.

So it’s important for Saints fans to get out the vote and put in a ballot for Thomas. Be sure to check out the ballot and get your votes in before the Dec. 12 deadline for Pro Bowl fan voting.

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Packers have 5 different top vote getters in early Pro Bowl voting

Preston Smith and Adrian Amos highlight the Packers’ top vote getters in early Pro Bowl voting.

Two free-agent additions and two specialists are among the five Green Bay Packers players currently leading their respective positions in Pro Bowl votes through the first week of fan voting.

Outside linebacker Preston Smith, strong safety Adrian Amos, kicker Mason Crosby, punter JK Scott and offensive tackle David Bakhtiari are all the leading vote getters in the NFC at their individual positions so far, according to the NFL.

Overall, the Packers have received the third-most total votes, trailing only the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers.

Smith, who signed a four-year, $52 million deal in March, leads the Packers and ranks fourth in the NFL in sacks (10).

Amos, who also signed a four-year deal, has 53 tackles, one interception, two pass breakups resulting in interceptions and one pass breakup preventing a two-point conversion.

Crosby, 35, has made 13-of-14 field goals and all 29 extra points. His 92.9 field goal percentage ranks fourth in the NFL, and he’s one of only six kicker without an extra point miss.

Scott, a second-year pro, is averaging 45.9 total yards and 41.9 net yards per punt, both career-highs. He ranks eighth in the NFL in punts downed inside the 20 (19).

Bakhtiari, a three-time All-Pro, remains one of the NFL’s top pass-blocking offensive tackles. He ranks third among offensive tackles in pass block win rate, per ESPN.

Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on Dec. 17. Fan voting is open through Dec. 12. The 2020 Pro Bowl is scheduled for Jan. 26.

How to vote your favorite Seattle Seahawks onto the Pro Bowl roster

Everything you need to know to cast your votes for your favorite Seattle Seahawks players to 2020 Pro Bowl roster.

Now that the NFL has entered the second half of the regular season, things are beginning to ramp up as teams compete for coveted playoff positions. Players are also starting to rally fans for votes to this year’s Pro Bowl, which will be held at Camping World Stadium, in Orlando, FL.

Here’s everything you need to know to vote your favorite Seahawks’ onto the Pro Bowl roster.

For the third season in a row, voting will be open for four weeks, with the polls closing on Thursday, Dec. 12.

Fans can vote multiple times for their favorite players, using a number of different mediums, including the league’s official website page at NFL.com/ProBowlVote.

In addition, fans can also vote directly on Twitter starting Nov. 28. All tweets should include the first and last name of the player, official Twitter handle (if available) or a hashtag including the player’s first and last name. All tweets must also include the #ProBowlVote hashtag.

The 2020 Pro Bowl is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. PT on Jan. 26 and will be televised on ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes and Disney XD.

Pro Bowl rosters will be announced Tuesday, Dec.17 on the NFL Network’s Pro Bowl special “NFL Total Access: Pro Bowl Players Revealed.”

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Saints nominate Terron Armstead for Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

The New Orleans Saints nominated LT Terron Armstead, a 2018 Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro, for the 2019 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

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The New Orleans Saints nominated left tackle Terron Armstead for this year’s Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, an award that gives recognition to NFL players who best demonstrate sportsmanship during games. All 32 teams initially select one of their own players for the award, which is then winnowed down to eight finalists. Players vote for the winner while submitting their Pro Bowl ballots later in the regular season. Here’s the list of previous winners, including Armstead’s teammate, Drew Brees:

  • 2018: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees
  • 2017: Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly
  • 2016: Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore
  • 2015: Oakland Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson
  • 2014: Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald

It’s clear that this is a very exclusive group to be a part of, and even being nominated in the first place says a lot about the respect Armstead’s teammates share for him. Check out the full list of nominees, by team:

The award-winner will receive a $25,000 donation to a charity of their choice as well as a commemorative trophy. Despite playing at a high level throughout his Saints career, Armstead has often been overlooked for Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition. He first made the cut for those clubs in 2018 as a second-team All-Pro, but he had to back out of his Pro Bowl commitments while recovering from an injury suffered during the season. Here’s hoping Armstead gets the recognition he’s due from his peers for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

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4 Texans worthy of making the Pro Bowl

With the Pro-Bowl voting underway, here are four Houston Texans deserving of going to the All-Star Game in the winter, including Deshaun Watson.

Pro Bowl voting is live. In the thick of a tight AFC playoff race, the Houston Texans have their fair share of players worthy of heading to Orlando, Fla. on Jan. 26, 2020.

Four, in specific, stand-out as obvious Pro-Bowl selections. To get them there, Texans fans will be relied upon. They can do so by heading to NFL.com/ProBowlVote to cast their ballots. Voting ends on Dec. 12, it is free and encouraged that multiple ballots are sent in.

During the final two weeks of voting — Nov. 28 to Dec. 12 — fans will be able to vote for their favorite Texans on Twitter. They will be able to do so by tweeting the player’s first and last name, the player’s official handle or a hashtag including their first and last name. All three methods must include the #ProBowlVote hashtag.

When making voting, here are four Texans to keep in mind for Pro Bowl voting:

QB Deshaun Watson

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Deshaun Watson is a full-fledged MVP candidate. His name on the Pro Bowl roster won’t be surprising come January. In fact, come game time in Orlando, Fla., the only thing that would be surprising is not seeing Watson suited up — unless he is in Miami.

Watson is drilling passes at a 70.2% clip, has a career-high 107.1 passer rating, has upped his passing touchdown rate from 5.1% to 6.0% (18) and lowered his interception rate from 1.8% to 1.7%. He has done so while throwing for 2,432 yards, rushing for 279 and tallying five touchdowns on the ground.

If stats don’t do the trick, take a gander at NFL Twitter on Sundays. Seemingly every week, Watson is producing highlight reels with his magical abilities. Combine that with a winning record (6-3), statistical improvement and a broad fan base and Watson is seemingly a lock to make the Pro-Bowl in back-to-back years.

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These 4 Chiefs players deserve their first Pro Bowl appearance in 2020

The Kansas City Chiefs could have several first time Pro Bowl selections in 2020.

Fan voting for the 2020 Pro Bowl is already underway and concludes on Thursday, Dec. 12. You can vote for the best-of-the-best in the NFL as many times as you please over at NFL.com/ProBowlVote. Rosters will be revealed on Tuesday, Dec. 17 live on a special NFL Network show. The 2020 Pro Bowl will take place on Sunday, January 26 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida a week ahead of Super Bowl LIV.

There are plenty of Chiefs players deserving of being selected for the first Pro Bowl of their career. Some of these players have been vying for a Pro Bowl selection for several years now, while others look to be rising stars in the NFL game. Below you’ll find four Chiefs players that should be selected for the first time in 2020:

Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

RT Mitchell Schwartz

There’s perhaps no member of the Chiefs more deserving of a trip to the Pro Bowl than veteran right tackle Mitchell Schwartz. He was deserving last season but only received the nod as an alternate. The injuries along the offensive line for Kansas City this season have only magnified how great Schwartz is.

Schwartz has yet to allow a sack on the season and has only had two penalties called on him. His dominance in pass protection isn’t his only asset, though, Schwartz is also a force in the ground game. Some of the best runs of the season in Kansas City have been sprung by Schwartz. Just look to the blocking he did on the 91-yard touchdown run from RB Damien Williams in Week 9.

Before suffering an injury in Week 10, Schwartz had a snap streak of 7,894, spanning the course of seven-and-a-half NFL seasons. He’d never missed a snap in his entire career. Schwartz returned to the game three plays later, proving once again that he’s indestructible and one of the most impressive offensive linemen in football today.

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Vote for your favorite Falcons players to make the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl

The 2020 NFL Pro Bowl vote is now open, and while it hasn’t been a great year for the Falcons, there are still some players worthy of the honor.

The 2020 NFL Pro Bowl vote is now open, and while it hasn’t been a great year for the Falcons, there are still some players worthy of the honor.

Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett is among the most deserving. He leads the defense with 5.5 sacks, and has been the team’s most consistent player through the first nine games.

Wide receiver Julio Jones is in the middle of another great season, while tight end Austin Hooper, despite his recent injury, is certainly deserving of his second consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl.

Make sure to vote for all of your favorite Falcons players.

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2020 Pro Bowl: Voting is now live for your favorite Jaguars

Jags fans can now vote for their favorite players to make the Pro Bowl.

As of Tuesday Nov. 12, Jacksonville Jaguars fans can now vote for their favorite players to be named to the 2020 Pro Bowl.

Just as they did last season players, coaches, and fans will all have a say in what players are voted into the Pro Bowl as each party will represent one-third of the voting process. Both the National Football Conference and American Football Conference will name 44 total players to their respective rosters and fan voting will end in exactly a month (Dec. 12). Afterward, the players who are nominated will be announced on NFL Network on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. EST.

While the Jags haven’t quite had the season they were hoping for, they have several players worthy of making the AFC roster. Before their bye week, running back Leonard Fournette was the AFC’s leading rusher with 831 yards, while DJ Chark was previously the AFC’s leading receiver with 692 yards.

On the defensive side, Calais Campbell has continued to defy his age as Pro Football Focus has him graded as the league’s second-best interior defender (91.5). Meanwhile, his comrades Yannick Ngakoue and rookie Josh Allen have been quite the pass-rushing duo, with four and seven sacks, respectively.

Lastly, place kicker Josh Lambo has absolutely been money, going 22-of-22 on his field goal attempts. He has more attempts than any other kicker who is 100 percent in the category, which makes a strong case for him to be considered the league’s best.

The Pro Bowl will take place just south of Jacksonville in Orlando, Fla., so fans of the Jags will be just two hours away. The game will take place on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020 at Camping World Stadium at 3 p.m. EST via ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ABC and Disney XD.

For those who want to purchase tickets, pricing starts at $45 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.

It’s time to vote your favorite Broncos players to the Pro Bowl

Fan voting for the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl is now open. The polls will close in mid-December.

Fan voting for the 2020 Pro Bowl opened Tuesday.

Fans, coaches and players will each account for one-third of the voting. The AFC and NFC will each be represented by 44 players. Fan voting will conclude on Dec. 12 and the Pro Bowl rosters will be announced on NFL Network on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. MT.

Fans can vote for their favorite players at NFL.com/ProBowlVote.

The Denver Broncos were represented by three players in last season’s Pro Bowl: outside linebacker Von Miller, long snapper Casey Kreiter and cornerback Chris Harris. Running back Phillip Lindsay was also voted to the All-Star game but could not play due to injury.

Miller totaled two tackles and Harris intercepted a pass in the AFC’s 26-7 win over the NFC in the 2019 Pro Bowl.

Denver’s most deserving player this season might be safety Justin Simmons, who has played 1,582 consecutive snaps and is tied with inside linebacker Todd Davis as the Broncos’ leading tackler (53). Simmons has also broken up nine passes and totaled two interceptions this year.

The Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 26, 2020 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game will begin at 1 p.m. MT and will air on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ABC and Disney XD. Tickets start at $45.

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