Bucs LB Derrick Brooks has been voted into the last four Pro Bowls
Online balloting for the 2002 Pro Bowl to be played in Hawaii on February 9, 10 or 11, begins this Monday and will continue through January 7. This season, fans may also cast their votes at more than 5,200 Blockbuster stores nationwide through interactive voting kiosks available until December 2.
The AFC and NFC all-star squads are made up of the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group's vote counts one-third towards determining the 43-man rosters that represent the American Football Conference and National Football Conference in Pro Bowl. NFL players and coaches will cast their votes on December 26-27.
The fans' portion of the voting will be used to break ties in case of deadlocks.
The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its all-star teams. It was the first professional sports league to offer online all-star voting in 1995. Visit NFL.com to cast your votes.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers led the NFL last season with nine players in the Pro Bowl, including six starters. Both totals were team records but in line with the Bucs' increased all-star recognition since Tony Dungy's arrival in 1996.
From the team's inception in 1978 through 1993, Tampa Bay players made 18 Pro Bowl visits. Though only one player (Hardy Nickerson) was voted to the game in Dungy's first season, 1996, the Bucs have received 28 Pro Bowl nods in the past four seasons.
Several Buccaneer players are in the midst of long Hawaii-bound streaks, including G Randall McDaniel, who has been to the last 12 Pro Bowls (11 as a Minnesota Viking). FB Mike Alstott, LB Derrick Brooks and DT Warren Sapp have all been to the last four Pro Bowls, Jeff Christy to the last three and John Lynch to the last two (plus the contest following the 1997 season). Warrick Dunn has been to two Pro Bowls (1997 and 2000 seasons).
