Football is a team game, more than any other, but it is still played by individuals, and this week’s announcement of the 2009 NFL Pro Bowl team had plenty of good news for the Denver Broncos and their fans.
Most seasons, teams have situations in which a player who was deemed worthy by the locals and their fans is omitted from a selection, and that pretty much did not happen this year for the Bronco players most deserving, at least by a statistical measure.
Champ Bailey has been named to his ninth Pro Bowl in 11 seasons, which ties Hall of Famer Mike Haynes for the most in NFL history at the cornerback position. Bailey has been named to the Pro Bowl five times as a Bronco and seems like a lock for the Team of the Decade for the 2000’s, a likely preamble to a Hall of Fame selection for Champ.
Tackle Ryan Clady was named to his first Pro Bowl team and is just the 11th tackle in NFL history to earn a Pro Bowl selection in his first two pro seasons. That takes in a tremendous number of players over the years and is a comment as to the talent and potential which Clady has.
Clady also is the first Bronco to earn a Pro Bowl nod in his second year since RB Clinton Portis in 2003. The only Bronco tackles ever named to the Pro Bowl are Hall of Famer Gary Zimmerman, Tony Jones, and Clady.
Brian Dawkins is new to the Broncos in 2009, but not new to Pro Bowl honors. This is the eighth selection for Dawkins, which ties for the third most in history at the safety position. He is the sixth safety in the safety-rich history of the Broncos to earn Pro Bowl accolades and like Bailey, often is mentioned as a potential Hall of Famer.
The NFL sack leader is Elvis Dumervil, and he already has set the new Bronco team record with 17 this year. Considering he set the all time high school sack record and led the nation in sacks while at the University of Louisville, Dumervil is now at the peak of NFL players in that department and has been rewarded with his first Pro Bowl selection.
It is not difficult to apply superlatives to the play of Brandon Marshall. This year, Marshall has been selected to his second straight Pro Bowl game after becoming just the fifth player in NFL history to post three consecutive 100-catch seasons.
He goes into the regular season finale against the Chiefs with 101 receptions, 1,120 yards and 10 touchdowns, ranking second in the league in total catches this year.
Marshall set the NFL single-game record with 21 catches at Indianapolis on December 13 and his 43 receptions in the month of December (four games) tied for the most through a team’s four-game period in the league since 1960.
Records are abound when it comes to Marshall, and he joins Rod Smith as the only Broncos to be named to the Pro Bowl multiple times at the wide receiver position. Smith made it in 2000, 2001 and 2005.
Nothing truly takes the place of team success — which is the only reason a team game is played.
Tags: 2010 Pro Bowl, Brandon Marshall, Brian Dawkins, Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil, Ryan Clady
Congrats to Brandon Marshall, Ryan Clady, Elvis Dumerville, Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins for making the pro bowl….especially Clady since he was screwed out of it last year… I really believe Prater should have made it too (He is top 3 in NFL behind Akers and Kaeding respectively) but his Kick-Off abilities are amazing as well.
Marshall is just a flat out beast…Glad he made it…overcame alot of adversity, stupidity, Orton-ity
and was a back up for the first couple of weeks but if you a star you gonna shine regardless…So like many of yall know I have always felt we should PAY THE MAN!!! lol. Pat Bowlen did say he was working his way to a significant pay raise so I would be surprised if he let Marshall slip….I personally want him to be a Lifetime Bronco. This would have been his 3rd Pro bowl if people knew who he was his sophomore year when he first went over 100 catches.
Champ is amazing…always has, always will be
New team but same Dawkins…told yall not to worry…He will get in over polamalu.
Dumerville….Well, he is jsut a sacking machine…he fell off a bit last year but we were bad as a whole on defense.
Nice job guys. Now lets finish the season strong and hope the playoffs happen. That will make Miami even more fun.
Go Broncos!
Hopefully none of these 5 guys will show up for the pro bowl, because they will be going to the super bowl, hahahaha. LOL.
I HEAR YOU ON THAT ONE BAYLIN!!!! LOL
Thats what Chad Ochocinco said because no one from the Bengals made it.
I heard this and for now it seems like just a rumor but reportedly we are going to replace Mitch Berger with Britton Colquitt. Can anyone comfirm or deny???
Congrats boys, and thanks for the nuggets of wisdom Jim!
The broncos have signed Punter Britton Colquitt to fill the spot vacated by kenny McKinley who was placed on injured reserve.
Punter Mitch Burger will remain on the team to hold for field goal tries.
That means the Colquitt brothers will be punting to eachother Sunday. lol.
Lmao…exactly baylin was about to say that but you beat me to it…a family of punters…event heri father was one
This is the same Colquit that we dropped before the season started…I thought he was a good punter….little to late tho McD…never shoulda dropped williams and Kern….kern is kicking butt for the titans.
One thing is very clear to me, McD is a very slow learner, we all said why didn’t he bring in Colquitt when he got rid of Kern, too little too late once again, same as all his adjustments to the competition all year long, last Sunday is the first time he really opened up the O a bit. With all his youthful enthusiasm you would think he would react to things quicker than at a snail’s pace. Better late than never, I guess, is all I have to say about that.
TRB, our brains are working in unison. LOL.
Going to Hawaii sounds a lot better than going to Florida, it’s like instead of saying “I’m going to Disneyland” one would say “I’m going to Six Flags”, it just loses a lot of it’s appeal. What the heck never been a fan of the Pro Bowl anyway…
GO TEXANS!!!!!
Oh wow, congrats to Baily, Clady, Dawkins, Dumervil, and Marshall. I wish that for once raiders would beat the Ravens so Broncos can make playoff berth.
Marshall caught 22… NOT 21…
Brandon Marhsall pulled his right hamstring in practice today. Royal did not practice. We’re getting thin at WR for this weekend’s matchup.
Congratulations to the 5 players named to the all star Team. Extra kudos to Ryan Clady and Elvis Dumervil as they will be making their first appearance! Also to DJ Williams who was selected as an alternate.
BRONCOBAILEY99, you need to take it easy on the beverages during the games, LOL, he had 21 for 200 yards.
Ah crap…
I DID know that… but for some reason, I had it wrong in my head for a little bit
Any ways… I was wrong, and I apologize haha…
And I didn’t drink any alcohol (if that’s what you mean)… I’m too young, and I wouldn’t be drinking if I could anyways.
Thanks for the correction, I’m better then that haha…
rbf1, you are right but it’s probably the extra thin variety, if Royal and Marshall can’t go, it’s down to Gaffney, Stockley and Lloyd, oh my…
Glad you mentioned DJ, no one else has, well deserved, minimum 8 tackles per game just about every game, that’s some real journeyman work there.
BRONCOBAILEY, no problem, I figured you’d want to know, was just joking on the drinking…. You’re welcome.
Yea, I think D.J. shoulda’ gotten in as well…
I hope he doesn’t face the same issue London Fletcher does (getting Snubbed from the Pro Bowl)
BRONCOBAILEY99, DJ did get in, but as an alternate, meaning if anybody goes down or won’t go because he plays in the super bowl, he’ll take his spot.
The Fletcher thing is aweful, I don’t know what’s up with that, I guess it’s an issue for the Redskins blog, but yeah the guy has been shafted for 13 years I think, he must of done something real bad. LOL.
baylinor – Let’s hope Stokely, Lloyd and Gaffney stay healthy this week. Another option could be is have Scheffler split out wide with Quinn and Graham staying inside. They’ve done that a few times. B-Marsh has been getting a heavy workload lately. Hard seeing him catching 5 yd dinks and getting smashed in the mouth every game, but he seems to be a tough hombre.
I was hoping DJ would get a shot and obviously came close to making the squad. You’re right, he’s been a workhorse this year !
Speaking of Gaffney, didn’t realize he’s the son of Derrick Gaffney who used to be a wideout for the New York Jets when Richard Todd and Ken O’Brien were their QB’s.
I meant DJ making the first squad, but I’m glad he is alternate. I bet he gets bumped up.
yeah, I even remember the guy, I looked him up, he played from 78 til 87 totalling 156 catches for 2,613 yards, very low output over an 8 year career, his best year was his first in 78 when he caught 38 passes for 691 yards. Numbers not unlike his son’s numbers I believe.
Jabar Gaffney, in 8 years so far he has 296 catches for 3,587 yards.
Thanks for the numbers. Looks like his son has done well so far. I remember Derrick Gaffney vaguely. I do remember the Jets playing in an early ’80s AFC Championship game vs. the Miami “Killer Bees” and recall Gaffney somewhat. Jets had another top flight receiver named Wesley Walker, from California. I do remember the Jets front four as the “New York Sack Exchange”, with Joe Klecko, Mark Gastineau and Marty Lyons… tough group…can’t remember the 4th D lineman.
Gastineau, he was a character, wasn’t he canadian or something and a wrestler? He was a monster sack force, I remember that well.
Yeah that guy was something else. He did wrestle. I think he got into some trouble later on….not sure. I hated playing against the Jets when Elway was breaking in the league. Seems like we always played them.
congrats clady u had da best rookie seaon last yr n didnt get wat he deserve but da votin system needs 2 b improved its like a popularity thing tom bradt dont deserve 2 go he only goin cause of wat his past but on da field dis yr i wasnt impressed carson palmer played a hell o betta than him just like cry baby rivers got snub last yr for favre