A record 51 million votes were cast by fans on NFL.com this year and Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre (930,270) led all NFL All-Stars in balloting for the 2003 Pro Bowl, the NFL announced Monday.
With 13 fewer voting days than last season, NFL.com recorded 51,677,578 total votes, eclipsing last year's record of 43,957,135.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Priest Holmes (747,297) ranked second overall with Buffalo Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe (733,754), Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon (673,740), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fullback Mike Alstott (672,947) rounding out the top five.
Packers tight end Bubba Franks was ninth overall in NFC voting (603,753), while safety Darren Sharper was seventh among NFC defenders (224,572). Mike Flanagan led all NFC centers in voting (180,230), and Matt Bowen was the top special teams player (108,814).
Fan voting finished on NFL.com December 13. Players and coaches vote December 16-17. The squads will be announced December 19 on the 2003 Pro Bowl Selection Show on ESPN.
The consensus ballots of NFL fans, players and coaches each count one-third towards determining the 43-man rosters that will represent the American and National conferences at Aloha Stadium.
The NFL is the only professional sports league that combines voting by fans, players and coaches in determining its all-star teams. The NFL became the first professional sports league to offer online voting in 1995.
This year's NFL Pro Bowl All-Star Game will be televised live on ABC-TV at 5:30 PM ET (12:30 PM HT) on February 2 and will be played in Honolulu, Hawaii.
This season fans also cast their Pro Bowl ballots at more than 7,200 RadioShack stores nationwide. RadioShack offered shortened balloting, presented by Motorola, which allowed fans to quickly vote for their favorite players in the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, defensive end, outside linebacker and cornerback positions. More than 94 percent of Americans live or work within five minutes of a RadioShack store.
All fans that voted at RadioShack were entered to win an "All Access" pass to the Pro Bowl. The "All Access" pass offers one winner a trip for two to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii, including sideline access to practices, pregame and halftime courtesy of the NFL and Motorola. The winner will be announced December 19, on the 2003 Pro Bowl Selection Show on ESPN.
Listed below are the top ten offensive and defensive vote-getters, the top five rookie vote-getters and the players with the most votes at each position:
NFL ALL-STAR TOP-TEN OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE VOTE-GETTERS
TOP-TEN OFFENSIVE
QB, Brett Favre, Packers, 930,270
RB, Priest Holmes, Chiefs, 747,297
QB, Drew Bledsoe, Bills, 733,754
QB, Rich Gannon, Raiders, 673,740
FB, Mike Alstott, Buccaneers, 672,947
TE, Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs, 657,418
RB, Deuce McAllister, Saints, 616,848
RB, Marshall Faulk, Rams, 607,554
TE, Bubba Franks, Packers, 603,753
RB, LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers, 572,571
TOP-TEN DEFENSIVE
LB, Brian Urlacher, Bears, 373,366
IL, Warren Sapp, Buccaneers, 325,978
DE, Jason Taylor, Dolphins, 263,108
DE, Julius Peppers, Panthers, 246,652
LB, Zach Thomas, Dolphins, 244,937
FS, Rod Woodson, Raiders, 235,020
FS, Darren Sharper, Packers, 224,572
CB, Champ Bailey, Redskins, 209,344
CB, Patrick Surtain, Dolphins, 187,730
CB, Ronde Barber, Buccaneers, 187,660
NFL ALL-STAR TOP-FIVE ROOKIE VOTE-GETTERS
TE, Jeremy Shockey, Giants, 513,088
DE, Julius Peppers, Panthers, 246,652
TE, Randy McMichael, Dolphins, 180,643
PR, Antwaan Randle El, Steelers, 102,575
RB, Clinton Portis, Broncos, 101,036
NFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS
QB, Brett Favre, Packers, 930,270
RB, Deuce McAllister, Saints, 616,848
FB, Mike Alstott, Buccaneers, 672,947
WR, Terrell Owens, 49ers, 546,574
TE, Bubba Franks, Packers, 603,753
T, Orlando Pace, Rams, 141,810
G, Larry Allen, Cowboys, 147,745
C, Mike Flanagan, Packers, 180,230
K, David Akers, Eagles, 315,575
KR, Michael Lewis, Saints, 212,675
DE, Julius Peppers, Panthers, 246,652
IL, Warren Sapp, Buccaneers, 325,978
OLB, Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers, 169,656
ILB, Brian Urlacher, Bears, 373,366
CB, Champ Bailey, Redskins, 209,344
SS, John Lynch, Buccaneers, 128,286
FS, Darren Sharper, Packers, 224,572
P, Todd Sauerbrun, Panthers, 254,434
ST, Matt Bowen, Packers, 108,814
AFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS
QB, Drew Bledsoe, Bills, 733,754
RB, Priest Holmes, Chiefs, 747,297
FB, Mike Anderson, Broncos, 451,285
WR, Marvin Harrison, Colts, 546,144
TE, Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs, 657,418
T, Willie Roaf, Chiefs, 131,505
G, Will Shields, Chiefs, 109,898
C, Kevin Mawae, Jets, 101,178
K, Morten Andersen, Chiefs, 386,738
KR, Chad Morton, Jets, 150,222
DE, Jason Taylor, Dolphins, 263,108
IL, Gary Walker, Texans, 110,910
OLB, Joey Porter, Steelers, 142,459
ILB, Zach Thomas, Dolphins, 244,937
CB, Patrick Surtain, Dolphins, 187,730
SS, Ed Reed, Ravens, 73,304
FS, Rod Woodson, Raiders, 235,020
P, Chris Hanson, Jaguars, 121,641
ST, Larry Izzo, Patriots, 92,586
