THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay’s Ronde Barber and Davin Joseph were added to the NFC Pro Bowl squad on Tuesday, replacing Green Bay cornerback Charles Woodson and Dallas guard Leonard Davis.
It’s the fifth selection for Barber, who had four interceptions and extended his consecutive games streak to 176 this season. It will be the first trip to the annual all-star game for Joseph, the Buccaneers’ first-round draft pick in 2006.
“Throughout my career I have been fortunate to be on some great teams and my selection to the Pro Bowl is further evidence of that,” Barber said.
“It is heck of a honour and I am thrilled,” Joseph said. “Being a player the ultimate goal is to win games, get to the playoffs and win a championship. And certainly a big goal of mine is to win a Super Bowl. But one of the things that I had hoped to accomplish through all my hard work and determination to win a championship was to make it to a Pro Bowl.”
Barber, tied with John Lynch and Hardy Nickerson for the fourth-most selections to the Pro Bowl by a defensive player in club history, also made the trip to Hawaii following the 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons.
The addition of Barber and Joseph gives Tampa Bay four representatives. They join linebacker Derrick Brooks, an 11-time selection, and rookie kick returner Clifton Smith.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos centre Casey Wiegmann has been added to the AFC roster for the Pro Bowl, earning his first trip to the league’s all-star game in his 13th NFL season.
Wiegmann centred a line that set a franchise record by allowing just 12 sacks this season and was second in the league with a 396-yard average.
Wiegmann joined the Broncos as a free agent from Kansas City and earned the starting job when Tom Nalen needed season-ending knee surgery during training camp. The Broncos never missed a beat and Wiegmann’s steady leadership was credited with bringing along a young line that included tackles Ryan Harris and Ryan Clady.
Wiegmann has started 127 straight games, most among NFL centres, and taken 8,046 consecutive snaps.
Wiegmann, who is pondering retirement, joins teammates Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall as the team’s Pro Bowl selections.
