NEW YORK, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- The defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore
Ravens placed six players in the Pro Bowl and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was among 10 first-timers named to the AFC team, the NFL announced on Wednesday.
Four perennial Pro Bowl selections -- middle linebacker Ray Lewis, tight end Shannon Sharpe, tackle Jonathan Ogden and safety Rod Woodson -- were among the Ravens selected.
The Pro Bowl starting lineups will be announced on Saturday, Jan. 12 at halftime of the AFC and NFC wild card games.
Brady, who stepped in for injured starter Drew Bledsoe and led the Patriots to a 10-3 record, was one of the three quarterbacks selected along with Rich Gannon of the Oakland Raiders and Kordell Stewart of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Brady is the fifth quarterback since 1970 to earn a trip to the Pro Bowl in the season of his first career start, joining an illustrious group which includes Dan Marino (1983), Brett Favre (1992), Kurt Warner (1999) and Daunte Culpepper (2000).
Future Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews of the Tennessee Titans was named to his 14th consecutive Pro Bowl, the most of any player since 1970. Matthews, who has played more games than any
offensive lineman in NFL history, was selected at center along with Kevin Mawae of the New York Jets.
In his 19th NFL season, Matthews will make his fifth Pro Bowl appearance as a center. His other nine selections came at guard.
The Pro Bowl will be played for the 23rd straight year at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu on Saturday, Feb. 9.
The NFL is the only professional league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players. The consensus vote of each group counts as one-third of the total.
