Fan Balloting
On December 19, 2005, the NFL announced that fans had cast more than 70.5 million votes via the Internet and the Sprint wireless telephone service, bettering by more than 16% the 61 million votes cast for the 2005 Pro Bowl. Of the top ten vote-getters, all were offensive players and seven, including four of the top five, hailed from the AFC. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning led all players, garnering 1,184,142 votes, a new single-player record, and narrowly edging out Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander (1,110,575 votes) and Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson (1,044,360 votes).
On the defensive side, AFC players filled six of the top ten spots, though Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher led all defenders, earning 420,983 votes; Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey (379,477 votes), Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney (374,289 votes), and Bengals cornerback Deltha O'Neal (373,918 votes) paced the AFC.
Among NFL rookies, Buccaneers running back Carnell Williams was the leading vote-getter, receiving 219,736 votes to surpass Steelers tight end Heath Miller (217,928 votes). Cowboys outside linebacker Demarcus Ware (104,592 votes), Vikings punter Chris Kluwe (100,555 votes), and Bengals inside linebacker Odell Thurman (88,715 votes) rounded out the top five.
The top vote-getter at each position (as on the official NFL ballot), irrespective of conference:
Offense
| Player | Team | Position | Fan votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peyton Manning | Indianapolis Colts | Quarterback | 1,184,142 |
| Shaun Alexander | Seattle Seahawks | Running Back | 1,110,575 |
| Chris Cooley | Washington Redskins | Fullback | 422,314 |
| Chad Johnson | Cincinnati Bengals | Wide receiver | 987,650 |
| Antonio Gates | San Diego Chargers | Tight end | 941,846 |
| Jeff Saturday | Indianapolis Colts | Center | 234,847 |
| Larry Allen | Dallas Cowboys | Guard | 248,561 |
| Orlando Pace | Saint Louis Rams | Tackle | 185,095 |
Defense
| Player | Team | Position | Fan votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dwight Freeney | Indianapolis Colts | Defensive end | 374,289 |
| Rod Coleman | Atlanta Falcons | Interior lineman (Defensive tackle) | 307,839 |
| Demorrio Williams | Atlanta Falcons | Outside linebacker | 244,419 |
| Brian Urlacher | Chicago Bears | Inside linebacker (Middle linebacker) | 420,983 |
| Champ Bailey | Denver Broncos | Cornerback | 379,477 |
| Brian Dawkins | Philadelphia Eagles | Free safety | 193,166 |
| Troy Polamalu | Pittsburgh Steelers | Strong safety | 270,348 |
Special Teams
| Player | Team | Position | Fan votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neil Rackers | Arizona Cardinals | Placekicker | 533,004 |
| Josh Bidwell | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Punter | 236,305 |
| Dante Hall | Kansas City Chiefs | Kick returner | 269,541 |
| Robert Mathis | Indianapolis Colts | Special teams | 130,890 |
Notably, four players—Cooley, Williams, Hall, and Robert Mathis—finished first in the balloting for their respective positions among fans but failed to secure a starting or reserve spot for the game.
Read more about this topic: 2006 Pro Bowl
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