FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant and kick returner Devin Hester were named to the 2014 All-NFC team, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Trufant was one of the few bright spots on the Falcons defense, which finished the season ranked 32nd in the league. Trufant made 61 tackles (53 sol
o), 16 passes defense, three interceptions and had one tackle for loss.
Of the 16 passes defense, he had at least six other opportunities for interceptions. If he’d made those, he’d likely would have received more consideration from Pro Bowl voters.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Also, Devin Hester had 43 kickoff returns for 1,128 yards (25.1 averaged per return).
The PFWA also announced its ALL-NFL and All-AFC teams.
The Dallas Cowboys placed a league-high four players – wide receiver Dez Bryant, center Travis Frederick, running back DeMarco Murray and tackle Tyron Smith – on the 2014 All-NFL team.
Six players repeated from the PFWA's 2013 All-NFL team: Cleveland Browns tackle Joe Thomas, Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly and two from the Seattle Seahawks, cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Earl Thomas. Sherman, Thomas and Watt are members of the PFWA's All-NFL team for the third consecutive season, the longest current streak among active players.
Thomas was voted All-NFL by the PFWA for the fifth time in his career, while New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis was selected All-NFL for the fourth time. Indianapolis Colts placekicker Adam Vinatieri made the All-NFL team for the first time since the 2004 season to join New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, Sherman, New England
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
special teamer Matthew Slater, Thomas, Watt and San Diego Chargers safety Eric Weddle as three-time honorees. A total of 14 players were first-time All-NFL selections.
The New England Patriots were second with three All-NFL selections, and five clubs – the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle – each had two players on the All-NFL team. In all, 17 clubs are represented among the 27 players honored by the PFWA.
The All-NFL offense includes Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Pittsburgh Steelers' LeVeon Bell and Murray at running back, Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown and Bryant at wide receiver, Gronkowski at tight end, Frederick at center, Green Bay's Josh Sitton and the Baltimore Ravens' Marshal Yanda at guard and Smith and Thomas at tackle.
The All-NFL defense includes Buffalo's Mario Williams and Watt at defensive end, Buffalo's Marcell Dareus and Suh at defensive tackle, the Kansas City Chiefs' Justin Houston and the Denver Broncos' Von Miller at outside linebacker, Kuechly at middle linebacker, Revis and Sherman at cornerback and Thomas and Weddle at safety.
The All-NFL special teams includes Vinatieri at placekicker, Indianapolis punter Pat McAfee, Cincinnati Bengals kickoff returner Adam Jones, Philadelphia Eagles punt returner Darren Sproles and Slater at special teamer.
The Patriots led all AFC teams with five All-AFC selections, while Baltimore, Buffalo and Denver had three each.
The Cowboys led all NFC clubs with six All-NFC selections, while the Eagles had four All-NFC honorees.
2014 PFWA ALL-NFL TEAM
Offense
QB – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
RB – LeVeon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers; DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys
WR – Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers ; Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
TE – Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
C – Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys
G – Josh Sitton, Green Bay Packers; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Ravens
T – Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys; Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns*
Defense
DE – Mario Williams, Buffalo Bills; J.J. Watt, Houston Texans#
DT – Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills; Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions*
OLB – Justin Houston, Kansas City Chiefs; Von Miller, Denver Broncos
MLB – Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers*
CB – Darrelle Revis, New England Patriots; Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks#
S –Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks#: Eric Weddle, San Diego Chargers
Special Teams
PK – Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts
P – Pat McAfee, Indianapolis Colts
KR – Adam Jones, Cincinnati Bengals
PR – Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles
ST – Matthew Slater, New England Patriots
* - repeat selection from 2013
# - consecutive selections in 2012, 2013 and 2014
2014 PFWA ALL-AFC TEAM
Offense
QB – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
RB – LeVeon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers; Justin Forsett, Baltimore Ravens
WR – Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers*; Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos
TE – Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
C – Nick Mangold, New York Jets
G – Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Ravens
T –Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns*; Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati Bengals
Defense
DE –J.J. Watt, Houston Texans*; Mario Williams, Buffalo Bills
DT – Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills; Kyle Williams, Buffalo Bills
OLB – Justin Houston, Kansas City Chiefs*; Von Miller, Denver Broncos
ILB – C.J. Mosley, Baltimore Ravens
CB – Chris Harris Jr., Denver Broncos; Darrelle Revis, New England Patriots
S – Devin McCourty, New England Patriots; Eric Weddle, San Diego Chargers*
Special Teams
PK – Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts
P – Pat McAfee, Indianapolis Colts
KR – Adam Jones, Cincinnati Bengals
PR – DeAnthony Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs
ST – Matthew Slater, New England Patriots*
* - repeat selection from 2013
2014 PFWA ALL-NFC TEAM
Offense
QB – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
RB – Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks; DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys
WR – Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys; Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
TE – Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers
C – Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys
G – Zach Martin, Dallas Cowboys; Josh Sitton, Green Bay Packers*
T – Jason Peters, Philadelphia Eagles*; Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Defense
DE – Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals; Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles
DT – Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers*; Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions*
OLB – Connor Barwin, Philadelphia Eagles; DeAndre Levy, Detroit Lions
MLB – Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers*
CB –Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks*; Desmond Trufant, Atlanta Falcons
S – Glover Quin, Detroit Lions; Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks*
Special Teams
PK – Dan Bailey, Dallas Cowboys
P – Johnny Hekker, St. Louis Rams*
KR – Devin Hester, Atlanta Falcons
PR – Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles
ST – Justin Bethel, Arizona Cardinals*
* - repeat selection from 2013
ABOUT THE PFWA: The Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) is the official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public. The PFWA is made up of accredited writers who cover the NFL and the 32 teams on a daily basis. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's D. Orlando Ledbetter, who covers the Atlanta Falcons, is the organization's president for 2013-15, while ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold, who covers the Denver Broncos, is the PFWA's first vice-president and long-time national writer Dan Pompei is the organization's second vice-president. Follow the PFWA at ProFootballWriters.org and on Twitter at @PFWAwriters.
REPLACING HEAD COACH MIKE SMITH
7 major issues waiting for the new Falcons' coach
Falcons grew together before the downfall
Report: Koetter interviews with Tampa Bay
Nolan packed up and left after Smith was fired
A quick look back at Mike Smith's tenure
Arthur Blank explains decision to fire Mike Smith, the winningest coach in franchise history
About the Author
