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| Titans center Kevin Mawae is one of 12 players named to the NFL All-Decade team that will compete in Sunday's Pro Bowl. |
Titans center Kevin Mawae is among 12 players named to the 2000s NFL All-Decade Team that will compete in Sunday's Pro Bowl before a sellout crowd in excess of 70,000. Broadcast live on ESPN at 7:20 p.m. ET from Sun Life Stadium, the Pro Bowl will for the first time be held prior to the Super Bowl and serve as the signature kickoff event of Super Bowl week.
"That's special to be named the best center out of the last 10 years," Mawae said. "There are a lot of good centers out there that I've played with. To be named the best of the best is pretty special. It's an achievement, a high accomplishment and an honor."
The complete 2000s NFL All-Decade team will be revealed during a special Pro Bowl edition of ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown (5:30 p.m. ET).
The members of the 2000s NFL All-Decade Team that will see action in Sunday's Pro Bowl:
TE Antonio Gates (6 Pro Bowls): SD 2005-10
G Alan Faneca (9 Pro Bowls): Pit. 2002-08; NYJ 2009-10
G Steve Hutchinson (7 Pro Bowls): Sea. 2004-06; Min. 2007-10
C Kevin Mawae (8 Pro Bowls): NYJ 2000-05; Ten. 2009-10
DE Julius Peppers (5 Pro Bowls): Car. 2005-07, 2009-10
LB Ray Lewis (10 Pro Bowls): Bal. 1998-2002, 2004-05, 2008-10
LB DeMarcus Ware (4 Pro Bowls): Dal. 2007-10
CB Champ Bailey (9 Pro Bowls): Was. 2001-04; Den. 2005-08, 2010
S Brian Dawkins (8 Pro Bowls): Phi. 2000, 2002-03, 2005-07, 2009; Den. 2010
P Shane Lechler (4 Pro Bowls): Oak. 2002, 2005, 2008-10
K David Akers (5 Pro Bowls): Phi. 2002-03, 2005, 2010
KR Joshua Cribbs (2 Pro Bowls): Cle. 2008, 2010
The 12 2010 All-Stars to be selected to the All-Decade team have been named to the Pro Bowl a combined 77 times.
"This is a tremendous honor for me to be recognized as one of the best out of all the safeties who have played in the NFL this decade," says Denver safety BRIAN DAWKINS, who was selected to his eighth career Pro Bowl and is one of the four All-Decade safeties. "To know I've been able to do the things I've been able to do, with the help of my teammates, to earn a spot on the league's All-Decade Team means a lot."
The NFL All-Decade teams are chosen every 10 years by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee members. The 2000s will mark the ninth All-Decade team to be selected in NFL history.
This decade's 53-player team will be comprised of two quarterbacks, four running backs, one fullback, four wide receivers, two tight ends, four offensive tackles, four guards, two centers, four defensive tackles, four defensive ends, six linebackers, four cornerbacks, four safeties, two kickers, two punters, two kick returners and two punt returners. Two head coaches have also been chosen.
All-Stars from the Super Bowl competing teams will not participate in the Pro Bowl, but they will attend the game and be honored as part of the pregame festivities. Three of those players have also been selected to the All-Decade Team: quarterback PEYTON MANNING and defensive end DWIGHT FREENEY of the Colts and safety DARREN SHARPER of the Saints.
