Dynamic defense star Aaron Donald and uncontrollable tight end Travis Kelce are unanimous choices on Friday for The Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team.
Donald and Kelce won the votes of a national panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. It is the sixth All-Pro selection for Donald, who helped the Los Angeles Rams reach the top-ranked defense in the NFL, and the third for Kelce, who broke the Kansas City record.
“I think the best demonstration of greatness is to make people around you better,” said Rams coach Sean McVay of Donald. “And that is exactly what he does, in fact, he influences them every week.”
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes praised Kelce for the way he approaches his work.
“He works hard every day and is practicing every day and is making sure he is prepared for those moments,” says Mahomes. “For a guy to have so much talent, work so hard and be able to really learn every day like that, that’s what makes him so special on the pitch.”
Joining Donald and Kelce, 15 players are returning to the team and 14 newcomers. Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner also makes his sixth team.
“The wonderful durability he has demonstrated for the middle linebacker after all these years is simply outstanding,” said Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
Aaron Rodgers, who guided Green Bay (13-3) to the seed in the NFC, makes his third team, as does Chiefs’ wide receiver Tyreek Hill. First selected in offensive skill positions are Tennessee’s 2,000-yard Derrick Henry rusher, Buffalo wideout Stefon Diggs, who led the NFL in receptions and yards received, and Rodgers’ favorite target, Davante Adams.
“For me, honestly, I think I’m just finding different little things that I can improve on, obviously,” says Adams. “I feel like a very complete receiver. … it’s just adjusting the things I do well and finding a way to do them even better. ”
Diggs was traded by Minnesota to Buffalo in the off-season and then made a big impact when the Bills won their first AFC East in 25 years.
“For me, it was just in any situation where I was going to be placed or chosen,” says Diggs, “I would just hug. The first thing I always try to do is to get the respect of my teammates and coaches. and that’s working your (butt) out, keep grinding and putting that work and letting the chips fall where they were ”.
Packers and Colts have four All-Pros. Green Bay left-back David Bakhtiari makes his second appearance, and center pivot Corey Linsley, his first. Indianapolis has internal lineman DeForest Buckner and linebacker Darius Leonard in defense, bodyguard Quenton Nelson in attack and George Odum as special coach. Nelson is an All-Pro three times, Leonard a double selection, while Buckner and Odum do so for the first time.
Completing the attack are Cleveland right-back Jack Conklin (second selection) and Washington right-back Brandon Scherff (first).
Also in defense are edge rushers TJ Watt, the NFL leader in Pittsburgh, who is on his second All-Pro team, and newcomer Myles Garrett of Cleveland; San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner (first selection); cornerbacks Xavien Howard (first) from Miami, the league’s interception leader, and Jalen Ramsey (second) from Rams; and security guards Tyrann Mathieu (third) from Kansas City, Minkah Fitzpatrick from Pittsburgh and Budda Baker from Arizona, both for the second time. There was a tie between Fitzpatrick and Baker for second place in safety.
The long snapper position is new for the All-Pro Team in 2020, and Morgan Cox of Baltimore is the choice. Chicago striker Cordarrelle Patterson does this for the fourth time. The rest of the special teams’ positions are newcomers: Miami kicker Jason Sanders, New England punter Jake Bailey and punt returner Gunner Olszewski.
The 2019 repeaters are Donald, Wagner, Nelson, Watt, Fitzpatrick, Mathieu and Patterson.
In all, 18 players represent the AFC, which is considered the strongest conference this season, and 11 by the NFC. Exactly half of the 32 clubs have a 2020 All-Pro.
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AP Pro Football writers Josh Dubow and Simmi Buttar and sports writers Dave Skretta, John Wawrow, Steve Megargee and Tim Booth contributed.
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