Packers safety DARREN SHARPER and wide receiver/kick returner ROBERT FERGUSON are among the NFC's leading vote-getters for the 2005 Pro Bowl, NFL.com announced Wednesday.
Indianapolis quarterback PEYTON MANNING, with 722,669 votes, leads all NFL All-Stars in balloting.
Click Here to vote Ferguson, Sharper and their Packers teammates to the 2005 Pro Bowl.
Sponsored by Ameriquest Mortgage, Pro Bowl voting will continue on NFL.com, in stadiums and via wireless text message through Sunday, December 17.
There have been 42 million votes cast on NFL.com - over two million more than through the first six weeks of voting in 2003.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback DONOVAN MC NABB (661,852 votes) ranks second overall while Minnesota Vikings quarterback DAUNTE CULPEPPER (652,318), Eagles wide receiver TERRELL OWENS (613,120) and New York Giants running back TIKI BARBER (566,673) round out the top five. Steelers quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER (468,323) tops all rookies and ranks ninth overall.
The teams will be announced at 7 p.m. (ET) Wednesday, December 22 on the 2005 Pro Bowl Selection Show on ESPN. The Pro Bowl will be played in Hawaii on Sunday, February 13 and televised by ESPN at 7:30 p.m. (ET).
In addition to casting ballots on NFL.com and in stadiums, fans can cast their Pro Bowl ballot and vote for their favorite quarterback, tight end, wide receiver, running back and kicker via their wireless device. To participate, fans must send a message with the text "NFL VOTE" to 69847. Each completed ballot is packaged with exclusive NFL Shield wallpaper for $0.99.
Fans who vote for their Pro Bowl players will then be able to enter for a chance to win the Ameriquest Pro Bowl in Paradise Sweepstakes with a trip to the Pro Bowl. The Grand Prize includes an all expense paid trip to the game in Honolulu and includes exclusive experiences such as the chance to throw a football with a Pro Bowl player, a tour of Aloha Stadium, sideline passes at the game and more.
The AFC and NFC All-Star squads are made up of the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group's vote counts one-third towards determining the 43-man rosters that represent the American Football Conference and National Football Conference in the Pro Bowl. NFL players and coaches will cast their votes on December 20-21.
The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its all-star teams. It was the first professional sports league to offer online all-star voting in 1995.
Listed below are the top 10 overall All-Star vote-getters and the players with the most votes at each position through December 6:
NFL ALL-STAR TOP-TEN VOTE-GETTERS
QB, Peyton Manning, Colts - 722,669
QB, Donovan McNabb, Eagles - 661,852
QB, Daunte Culpepper, Vikings - 652,318
WR, Terrell Owens, Eagles - 613,120
RB, Tiki Barber, Giants - 566,673
RB, Shaun Alexander, Seahawks - 544,789
TE, Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs - 478,009
WR, Marvin Harrison, Colts - 475,996
QB, Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - 468,323
TE, Antonio Gates, Chargers - 466,315
AFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS BY POSITION
Offense
QB, Peyton Manning, Colts - 722,669
RB, Priest Holmes, Chiefs - 430,730
FB, Jerald Sowell, Jets - 247,189
WR, Marvin Harrison, Colts - 475,996
TE, Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs - 478,009
T, Jonathan Ogden, Ravens - 136,986
G, Alan Faneca, Steelers - 163,595
C, Kevin Mawae, Jets - 150,424
K, Adam Vinatieri, Patriots - 332,845
KR, Terrence McGee, Bills - 88,364
Defense
DE, John Abraham, Jets - 262,525
IL, Marcus Stroud, Jaguars - 147,309
OLB, Keith Bulluck, Titans - 124,085
ILB, Ray Lewis, Ravens - 191,009
CB, Champ Bailey, Broncos - 193,556
SS, Ed Reed, Ravens - 146,388
FS, John Lynch, Broncos - 83,202
P, Shane Lechler, Raiders - 181,473
ST, Larry Izzo, Patriots - 80,608
NFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS BY POSITION
Offense
QB, Donovan McNabb, Eagles - 661,852
RB, Tiki Barber, Giants - 566,673
FB, Justin Griffith, Falcons - 161,953
WR, Terrell Owens, Eagles - 613,120
TE, Alge Crumpler, Falcons - 366,564
T, Orlando Pace, Rams - 119,702
G, Larry Allen, Cowboys - 135,808
C, Matt Birk, Vikings - 105,634
K, David Akers, Eagles - 458,995
KR, Eddie Drummond, Lions - 200,794
Defense
DE, Patrick Kerney, Falcons - 143,335
IL, Kevin Williams, Minnesota - 125,720
OLB, Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers - 177,717
ILB, Brian Urlacher, Bears - 188,652
CB, Lito Sheppard, Eagles - 133,148
SS, Adam Archuleta, Rams - 78,950
FS, Darren Sharper, Packers - 119,736
P, Mitch Berger, Saints - 143,182
ST, Robert Ferguson, Packers - 73,228
