49ers, Chiefs head up Pro Bowl
Kansas City and San Francisco will have plenty of clout at Aloha Stadium if they don’t make it to New Jersey for the Super Bowl.
The NFL revealed Friday that the Chiefs and 49ers each had eight players voted into next month’s Pro Bowl, including running backs Jamaal Charles of Kansas City and Frank Gore of San Francisco.
Denver quarterback Peyton Manning was selected to his 13th Pro Bowl after receiving the most votes among fans, 1.43 million. New Orleans QB Drew Brees was second among fans with 1.2 million votes.
The NFL combines votes from fans, players and coaches to determine 86 of 88 Pro Bowl players; the other two players are long-snappers selected by Pro Bowl coaches. Voting ended Thursday.
Under a new format this year, NFL greats Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders will divvy up the players in a two-day draft before the Jan. 26 game. Offensive and defensive players with the most votes who don’t make it past the divisional playoff round will serve as active player captains.
Charles said Friday that he should be picked first.
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"I think I got the best skill set of anybody on the roster," Charles said. "I think I can play wide receiver and then put the ball in my hand, also. The only thing I can’t do is throw the ball."
Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman received 552,600 votes by fans, the most for any defensive player.
San Francisco is set to send eight players to the game for the second year in a row, though its players missed the game earlier this year because they made the Super Bowl, losing to Baltimore.