NEW YORK, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Even though they they only qualified as the third and final wild card, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the most Pro Bowl selections on the NFC team for the third straight season.
Defensive tackle Warren Sapp, outside linebacker Derrick Brooks, safety John Lynch and fullback Mike Alstott were the usual players selected from the Buccaneers, who are in third place in the NFC Central with a 9-6 record. Sapp, Brooks and Alstott are making their fifth straight trip, and Lynch is making his fourth appearance.
Receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who is tied for the NFL lead with 106 receptions, and cornerback Ronde Barber, the league leader with 10 interceptions, were the other Bucs named to the NFC team.
The defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens were the only other team to have as many as six Pro Bowl representatives.
The Pro Bowl starting lineups will be announced on Saturday, January 12 at halftime of the AFC and NFC wild card games.
The NFC West champion St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers and NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles have five representatives apiece.
The Rams, Niners and Green Bay Packers each placed a quarterback and a running back. The backfield duos are Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk of the Rams, Jeff Garcia and Garrison Hearst of the Niners and Brett Favre and Ahman Green of the Packers.
The Pro Bowl will be played for the 23rd straight year at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu on Saturday, February 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.
The 42-man NFC squad is comprised of 21 offensive and 17 defensive players along with four specialists. A 43rd "need" player will be chosen by the NFC coach and must be a linebacker or defensive end.
