Rodgers Leads Four Packers on All-Pro First Team
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari was upset that center Corey Linsley was bypassed for the Pro Bowl team.
“It sucks. I’ve been on that side of the fence,” Bakhtiari said recently. “It speaks to the flaws of the process. I feel for the guy. He played his best ball this year, best center in the league for 2020 and the fact that it’s a popularity contest. Yeah, I’m excited and hopeful that the All-Pro, they get it right.”
The All-Pro voters got it “right.”
In results announced on Friday, Linsley, Bakhtiari, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and receiver Davante Adams were first-team selections to the official All-Pro team in voting from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander and outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith were second-team choices. Guard Elgton Jenkins, safety Adrian Amos and kicker Mason Crosby received votes. Amos made the Pro Football Focus All-Pro team.
The All-Pro vote perhaps is a signal that Rodgers will win his third MVP, with Rodgers easily getting the nod over Kansas City Chiefs counterpart Patrick Mahomes as the first-team quaterback. Rodgers got 46 of the 50 first-place votes. Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Mahomes received two apiece. Rodgers is a first-team All-Pro for the third time. When he was a first-teamer in 2011 and 2014, he also won MVP.
Adams received 49 of 50 first-place votes. That left him one vote shy of joining Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce as the unanimous choices.
Bakhtiari’s 26 votes were the most among the left tackles, twice as many as Denver’s Garret Bolles. Between his first- and second-team honors, he is now a five-time All-Pro. At center, 10 players received votes, with Linsley’s 18 leading the way.
Rodgers had a blast-from-the-past season, leading the NFL in passer rating, touchdowns, completion percentage, touchdown percentage and interception percentage. Rodgers’ 121.5 passer rating is the second-best in NFL history behind his 122.5 in 2011. He threw 48 touchdowns and rushed for three more.
“I’m definitely going to look back years from now with a lot of pride about the way I played and the steps I took throughout the season to put myself in a position, kind of going back to March and April,” Rodgers said on Thursday when asked if this was his best season. “I’m very proud of the regular season. Best season, let’s wait and see how this run turns out.”
Adams set a franchise record with 115 receptions, and his 18 touchdown receptions tied for the third-most in NFL history.
“How can you not be thankful for 17? He’s the greatest Christmas gift every single week,” Rodgers said.
Bakhtiari and Linsley made it despite injury-plagued seasons. Bakhtiari missed three games at midseason with a broken rib and the final regular-season game with a knee injury that has ended his season. Linsley missed three games with a knee injury and most of two others.
The Packers and Indianapolis Colts led the way with four All-Pros apiece. For the Colts, their selections were defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, linebacker Darius Leonard, left guard Quenton Nelson and George Odum as the special teamer.
