Watt, Gronkowski unanimous AP All-Pros; Dallas leads with 4
NEW YORK - J.J. Watt found a unique way to make the 2014 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team announced Friday.
Houston's Watt was listed on all 50 ballots by a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league, with 45 of the votes for defensive end and the other five for defensive tackle. So he actually was a first-team end and a second-team tackle in gaining his third straight selection.
''Everybody always says you try and make it so the other team can't game plan you because they don't know where you're coming from,'' Watt said. ''I mean, half the time I have no clue where I'm coming from, so it makes it pretty tough for the other people, I think, and that's the goal.''
No such confusion for New England's Rob Gronkowski as the other unanimous pick. He grabbed all the votes for tight end.
''He's, I think, when you say a kid playing the game, that's him,'' Patriots safety Devin McCourty said. ''He don't care about anything, stats, if we're up or down, he's playing one way. He's playing hard and you can tell he's just having fun with his friends on the field.''
Dallas led all teams with four All-Pros, including guard Zach Martin, the only rookie on the squad. League rushing leader DeMarco Murray, tackle Tyron Smith and wide receiver Dez Bryant also made it.
''I wasn't really coming in this year expecting to do this, but it's been a fun season,'' said Martin, a first-round draftee from Notre Dame who has been a major cog in the Cowboys' superb running attack.
Making their first All-Pro teams were all four Cowboys, plus Seattle inside linebacker Bobby Wagner; Buffalo DE Mario Williams and DT Marcell Dareus; Kansas City outside LB Justin Houston; Pittsburgh WR Antonio Brown and RB Le'Veon Bell; Baltimore guard Marshal Yanda; Green Bay fullback John Kuhn; Cincinnati kick returner Adam Jones; and Indianapolis punter Pat McAfee.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers made it for the second time; he also was the All-Pro QB in 2011.
Brown was next closest to sweeping the panel, earning 49 votes. Murray drew 48 and Houston 47.
''When you step into a stadium he's a known issue, but still he performs,'' Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Brown. ''We could talk about some of the same things about guys like J.J. Watt. We knew what he was capable of when we were getting ready to play him, but it still doesn't stop the storm from coming.''
Cleveland tackle Joe Thomas earned his fifth All-Pro spot, the most of anyone on the current team. Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis got his fourth All-Pro berth.
Seattle and Pittsburgh each had three All-Pros. There were 16 AFC players and 11 from the NFC.
The Seahawks were all defensive players: Wagner, cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Earl Thomas.
''I'm on such a great defense that sometimes there are guys that get overlooked and unfortunately I was one of them,'' said Wagner, who missed five games with injuries in his third pro season. ''But I think all the things that has happened this year as far as the awards and the recognition and stuff like that, it means so much more to me this year because everything that I went through this year.''
Repeaters from 2013 were Watt, Thomas, Detroit DT Ndamukong Suh, Carolina inside linebacker Luke Kuechly, Sherman and Thomas.
Here are the All-Pro teams (first teamers in bold, votes in parentheses):
Offense
Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (44)
Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (3)
Tom Brady, New England Patriots (2)
Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (1)
Running Backs
DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys (48)
Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers (44)
Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks (7)
Fullback
John Kuhn, Green Bay Packers (18)
Anthony Sherman, Kansas City chiefs (14)
Marcel Reese, Oakland Raiders (12)
Bruce Miller, San Francisco 49ers (3)
Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks (1)
Kyle Juszczyk, Baltimore Ravens (1)
Tight End
Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots (50)
Wide Receivers
Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers (49)
Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys (24)
Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers (15)
Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos (11)
Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants (1)
Tackles
Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys (35)
Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns (22)
Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati Bengals (14)
Jason Peters, Philadelphia Eagles (12)
Ryan Clady, Denver Broncos (4)
Sebastian Vollmer, New England Patriots (3)
Joe Staley, San Francisco 49ers (3)
Ricky Wagner, Baltimore Ravens (2)
Trent Williams, Washington Redskins (1)
Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles (1)
Jared Veldheer, Arizona Cardinals (1)
Bryan Bulaga, Green Bay Packers (1)
Louis Vasquez, Denver Broncos (1)
Guards
Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Ravens (38)
Zach Martin, Dallas Cowboys (24)
Josh Sitton, Green Bay Packers (22)
Kyle Long, St, Louis Rams (5)
Mike Iupati, San Francisco 49ers (4)
Evan Mathis, Philadelphia Eagles (2)
Jahri Evans, New Orleans Saints (2)
Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns (1)
Dan Connolly, New England Patriots (1)
James Carpenter, Seattle Seahawks (1)
Center
Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh Steelers (21)
Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys (14)
Nick Mangold, New York Jets (7)
Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles (5)
Corey Linsley, Green Bay Packers (1)
Rodney Hudson, Kansas City (1)
Ryan Kalil, Carolina Panthers (1)
Placekicker
Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis Colts (25)
Stephen Gostkowski, New England Patriots (21)
Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons (1)
Dan Bailey, Dallas Cowboys (1)
Chandler Catanzaro, Arizona Cardinals (1)
Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens (1)
Kick Returner
Adam Jones, Cincinnati Bengals (17)
Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles (15)
Devin Hester, Chicago Bears (14)
Jacoby Jones, Baltimore Ravens (3)
De'Anthony Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs (1)
Defense
Ends
J.J. Watt, Houston Texans (45)
Mario Williams, Buffalo Bills (24)
Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals (11)
Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles (5)
Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins (5)
Michael Bennett, Seattle Seahawks (3)
Elvis Dumervil, Baltimore Ravens (3)
Everson Griffen, Minnesota Vikings (1)
Jerry Hughes, Buffalo Bills (1)
Robert Quinn, St. Louis Rams (1)
Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets (1)
Tackles
Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions (41)
Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills (24)
Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13)
J.J. Watt, Houston Texans (5)
Kyle Williams, Buffalo Bills (4)
Aaron Donald, St. Louis Rams (4)
Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets (4)
Sen'Derrick Marks, Jacksonville Jaguars (2)
Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles (2)
Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals (1)
Outside Linebackers
Justin Houston, Kansas City Chiefs (47)
Elvis Dumervil, Baltimore Ravens (13)
Von Miller, Denver Broncos (11)
Connor Barwin, Philadelphia Eagles (11)
DeAndre Levy, Detroit Lions (7)
Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers (5)
Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins (3)
Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2)
Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens (1)
Inside Linebacker
Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers (43)
Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks (31)
C.J. Mosley, Baltimore Ravens (9)
DeAndre Levy, Detroit Lions (4)
Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh Steelers (4)
Jamie Collins, New England Patriots (2)
Dont'a Hightower, New England Patriots (2)
D'Qwell Jackson, Indianapolis Colts (1)
Brandon Marshall, Denver Broncos (1)
Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers (1)
Larry Foote, Arizona Cardinals (1)
Mychal Kendricks, Philadelphia Eagles (1)
Cornerbacks
Darrelle Revis, New England Patriots (42)
Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks (41)
Chris Harris Jr., Denver Broncos (9)
Brent Grimes, Miami Dolphins (4)
Vontae Davis, Indianapolis Colts (2)
Aqib Talib, New England Patriots (1)
Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns (1)
Safeties
Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks (39)
Eric Weddle, San Diego Chargers (16)
Kam Chancellor, Seattle Seahawks (14)
Glover Quin, Detroit Lions (13)
Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings (7)
Antoine Bethea, San Francisco 49ers (5)
Devin McCourty, New England Patriots (2)
Tashaun Gipson, Cleveland Browns (2)
Charles Woodson, Oakland Raiders (1)
Rashad Johnson, Arizona Cardinals (1)
Punter
Pat McAfee, Indianapolis Colts (26)
Johnny Hekker, St. Louis Rams (12)
Sam Koch, Baltimore Ravens (8)
Kevin Huber, Cincinnati Bengals (2)
Bryan Anger, Jacksonville Jaguars (1)