Peyton Manning surely hopes he won’t play in the Pro Bowl because he’ll be too busy preparing for the Super Bowl a week later. But more fans want to see Manning in the Pro Bowl than any other player.
The NFL announced today that Manning, with 654,309 votes, is the leader in fan voting for the Pro Bowl. Manning has been selected to 12 Pro Bowls, 11 in his 13 seasons playing for the Colts, and one last year with the Broncos.
This year’s Pro Bowl will do away with the AFC-NFC format and instead assign Pro Bowl players to teams through a draft in which Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders will choose the teams. The Pro Bowlers are chosen in voting of fans, players and coaches, with each group’s voting counting for one-third of the selection process.
Manning is followed in fan voting by Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles, Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, Bengals receiver A.J. Green, Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant.