Best for last
The last pick in Wednesday’s Pro Bowl draft, Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith, ended up having the final say on Sunday.
Trailing 21-14, Smith led Team Rice on a four-play, 58-yard drive that ended with his 20-yard touchdown pass to DeMarco Murray to set up the decisive 2-point conversion.
"Maybe I was trying to redeem myself a little bit," Smith said.
"Yeah, I mean being picked last was hard to take, honestly. …But I was in Hawaii and it was the Pro Bowl, so I was honored to be here and we were fortunate to win."
The draft rules called for the last two players to be quarterbacks, leaving Smith and Nick Foles as the final pair. Team Sanders picked Foles, leaving Smith to Team Rice.
"I’d be lying if I didn’t say I thought about (being picked last) all week the way the whole draft thing went down," Smith said. "It was a funny thing."
Farewell performance
Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez played in his 14th and final Pro Bowl on Sunday, ending a soon-to-be Hall of Fame career with one last appearance at Aloha Stadium.
Jerry Rice called for one more round of applause in Gonzalez’s honor during his address to the crowd following his team’s 22-21 win.
"That’s unbelievable," Gonzalez said after taking the pads off a final time. "You’re talking about the greatest player ever and somebody I’ve been studying and watching since I was young coming up in the game. It’s cool when a guy like that gives you some acknowledgement."
Gonzalez caught three passes for 31 yards in his final NFL game, bringing his career reception total in Pro Bowls to a record 52.
"In the NFL it’s fraternity and it’s about passing that torch. You’ve got guys like Jimmy (Graham) now and they’re the next guys in line to do something," Gonzalez said.
"Every time I came over here with Ray Lewis and Peyton Manning and back when I younger, Junior Seau, Willie Roaf, this game is special, just to be a part of it is a great honor."
Tolbert cashes in
Mike Tolbert’s efficiency in short-yardage situations helped earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl. So when Team Rice lined up for a decisive 2-point conversion, the Carolina fullback had no doubt as to the outcome.
DeMarco Murray had just scored on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith to bring Team Rice within a point with 41 seconds left. With neither side interested in overtime, the Panthers coaching staff called for Tolbert, who scored five touchdowns in the regular season, to decide the game.
"I was just hoping for a win, and when my number got called, I pretty much knew it was a win," Tolbert said.
The win gave Tolbert bragging rights over his Carolina teammates on Team Sanders, including quarterback Cam Newton and linebacker Luke Kuechly, who finished with a game-high 12 tackles.
"I’m going to talk some trash to them," Tolbert said. "That’s something I’m definitely going to do."
Honor thy mother
After scoring Team Sanders’ first touchdown on a flea-flicker from Andrew Luck, Philadelphia receiver DeSean Jackson went over to the stands and gave his mother the ball and a kiss.
"That was a big moment," Jackson said. "I didn’t plan it. It was just something the man above blessed me to do. Andrew Luck put up a great ball and I made a play on it."
