For the first time in his nine-year NFL career, Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril is a Pro Bowler.
Avril, who through 14 games has a career-best 11.5 sacks and five forced fumbles, was one of four Seahawks defensive players named to the NFC Pro Bowl squad Tuesday night along with linebacker Bobby Wagner, defensive end Michael Bennett and cornerback Richard Sherman.
"It's an honor," Avril said on the NFL Network after the Pro Bowl rosters were announced. "To get the recognition from your peers and the media, it's definitely an honor. I'm glad to have finally gotten one after nine years."
Avril, whose 25 quarterback hits rank second in the NFL, is also the Seahawks’ 2016 nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. In addition to enjoying a career-year on the field, Avril has been busy off the field as well, spending time this offseason in Haiti helping rebuild a school and hosting youth clinics. Avril has also pledged to fund construction of a new house in Haiti through New Story Charity for every sack he records this season.
"We've seen his play be so on in a lot of different ways, whether it's rushing the passer, pressuring, or getting his sacks, or knocking balls loose, or knocking balls down, he's just been a great factor, and in the running game too," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said last month. "He has played beautiful football… I think he's just had a great year, everything has fit together and he's playing like crazy. I'm really fired up for him."
Wagner, who was named to the Pro-Bowl roster for a third straight year, currently leads the NFL with 145 tackles and is the first player in franchise history to record five consecutive 100-tackle seasons. Wagner needs nine more tackles to break Terry Beeson's team record set in 1978.
"This is Bobby's best season," said fellow linebacker K.J. Wright, who himself was named a Pro Bowl alternate. "He's a tackling machine. His pass and route recognition has improved a whole lot since last year. He is definitely looking good this year and he's leading the league in tackles, and his blitzing is really improved from last year as well."
Sherman, who is a Pro Bowler for the fourth time in his six-year career, leads the Seahawks with four interceptions, and since 2011, his 30 interceptions and 94 passes defensed lead the NFL. Sherman is currently second on the team with 11 passes defensed this season.
Bennett, who earned his second consecutive Pro-Bowl nod, ranks third on the team with 3.0 sacks and fourth with 14 quarterback hits despite missing five games with a knee injury. But despite his own recognition, Bennett was happier to see his teammate and friend finally honored as a Pro Bowler.
"I'm just happy Cliff got in, because Cliff is one of the best defensive ends in the NFL," Bennett said on the NFL Network. "To see him get it, it just makes it a lot better. I'm just happy to get a chance to play with all these great players once again."
Another eight Seahawks were named Pro Bowl alternates, meaning they could be added to the team later if other players drop out: receiver Doug Baldwin, center Justin Britt, safety Kam Chancellor, tight end Jimmy Graham, kicker Steven Hauschka, return specialist Tyler Lockett, quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker K.J. Wright.
The 2017 Pro Bowl will be held on Sunday, January 29 in Orlando, Fla., one week before Super Bowl LI.
2017 PRO BOWL PLAYERS BY POSITION, courtesy NFL Communications
(*First-time Pro Bowl selection; Bold/Italic: Starter)
AFC
OFFENSE (21)
QUARTERBACKS (3)
TIGHT ENDS (2)
Tom Brady, New England
Travis Kelce, Kansas City
Derek Carr, Oakland
Delanie Walker, Tennessee
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh
TACKLES (3)
WIDE RECEIVERS (4)
Taylor Lewan, Tennessee
Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh
Donald Penn, Oakland
Amari Cooper, Oakland
Joe Thomas, Cleveland
A.J. Green, Cincinnati
T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis
GUARDS (3)
David DeCastro, Pittsburgh
RUNNING BACKS (3)
Kelechi Osemele, Oakland
Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh
Marshal Yanda, Baltimore
LeSean McCoy, Buffalo
DeMarco Murray, Tennessee
CENTERS (2)
Rodney Hudson, Oakland
FULLBACK (1)
Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh
Kyle Juszczyk, Baltimore
DEFENSE (18)
DEFENSIVE ENDS (3)
INSIDE/MIDDLE LINEBACKERS (2)
Jadeveon Clowney, Houston
Dont'a Hightower, New England
Khalil Mack, Oakland
C.J. Mosley, Baltimore
Cameron Wake, Miami
CORNERBACKS (4)
INTERIOR LINEMEN (3)
Chris Harris, Jr., Denver
Geno Atkins, Cincinnati
Casey Hayward, San Diego
Jurrell Casey, Tennessee
Marcus Peters, Kansas City
Ndamukong Suh, Miami
Aqib Talib, Denver
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (3)
FREE SAFETIES (2)
Lorenzo Alexander, Buffalo
Devin McCourty, New England
Von Miller, Denver
Reggie Nelson, Oakland
Brian Orakpo, Tennessee
STRONG SAFETY (1)
Eric Berry, Kansas City
SPECIALISTS (4)
PUNTER (1)
RETURN SPECIALIST (1)
Pat McAfee, Indianapolis
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City
PLACEKICKERS (1)
SPECIAL TEAMER (1)
Justin Tucker, Baltimore
Matthew Slater, New England
NFC
OFFENSE (21)
QUARTERBACKS (3)
TIGHT ENDS (2)
Dak Prescott, Dallas
Greg Olsen, Carolina
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
*
Jordan Reed, Washington
Matt Ryan, Atlanta
TACKLES (3)
WIDE RECEIVERS (4)
Jason Peters, Philadelphia
Odell Beckham, Jr., New York Giants
Tyron Smith, Dallas
Mike Evans, Tampa Bay
Trent Williams, Washington
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
Julio Jones, Atlanta
GUARDS (3)
T.J. Lang, Green Bay
RUNNING BACKS (3)
Zack Martin, Dallas
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas
Brandon Scherff, Washington
Devonta Freeman, Atlanta
David Johnson, Arizona
CENTERS (2)
Travis Frederick, Dallas
FULLBACK (1)
Alex Mack, Atlanta
Mike Tolbert, Carolina
DEFENSE (18)
DEFENSIVE ENDS (3)
INSIDE/MIDDLE LINEBACKERS (2)
Cliff Avril, Seattle
Luke Kuechly, Carolina
Michael Bennett, Seattle
Bobby Wagner, Seattle
Everson Griffen, Minnesota
CORNERBACKS (4)
INTERIOR LINEMEN (3)
Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants
Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia
Patrick Peterson, Arizona
Aaron Donald, Los Angeles
Xavier Rhodes, Minnesota
Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay
Richard Sherman, Seattle
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (3)
FREE SAFETIES (2)
Vic Beasley, Atlanta
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay
Thomas Davis, Carolina
Harrison Smith, Minnesota
Ryan Kerrigan, Washington
STRONG SAFETY (1)
Landon Collins, New York Giants
SPECIALISTS (4)
PUNTER (1)
RETURN SPECIALIST (1)
Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles
Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota
PLACEKICKERS (1)
SPECIAL TEAMER (1)
Matt Bryant, Atlanta
Dwayne Harris, New York Giants
