Emmitt knows the point of a good fullback.
As it turns out, 30 of 47 Super Bowl champions saw their quarterback made the Pro Bowl. That doesn’t include the 2012 Ravens, as Joe Flacco was not a Pro Bowl selection, but it does include the ’69 Chiefs, the only team with two quarterbacks to make the Pro Bowl (Len Dawson and Mike Livingston). The Ravens did have two Pro Bowl running backs, though (Ray Rice and Vonta Leach), joining the ’93 Cowboys (Emmitt Smith, Daryl Johnston) and the ’72 and ’73 Dolphins (Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris) as the only Super Bowl champs with multiple Pro Bowl running backs.
Arguably the least represented position is cornerback, which might be relevant to yesterday’s post: the average Super Bowl champion had just 0.45 Pro Bowl cornerbacks, the lowest average among positions that always have multiple starters (as opposed to defensive tackles or inside linebackers). Both Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams made the Pro Bowl for the 2010 Packers, but eight of the last nine Super Bowl champions failed to place a single cornerback in the Pro Bowl in that season. The full table, below:
Year | Tm | QB | RB | WR | TE | T | G | C | DT | DE | ILB | OLB | CB | S | K | P | ST | Tot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | 0.66 | 0.62 | 0.57 | 0.23 | 0.49 | 0.45 | 0.34 | 0.43 | 0.6 | 0.36 | 0.51 | 0.45 | 0.79 | 0.23 | 0.11 | 6.96 | ||
| 2012 | BAL | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 2011 | NYG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2010 | GNB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2009 | NOR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 2008 | PIT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2007 | NYG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 | IND | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2005 | PIT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2004 | NWE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 2003 | NWE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2002 | TAM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 2001 | NWE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2000 | BAL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1999 | STL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1998 | DEN | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1997 | DEN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1996 | GNB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1995 | DAL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1994 | SFO | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1993 | DAL | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 1992 | DAL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1991 | WAS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 1990 | NYG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 1989 | SFO | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1988 | SFO | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 1987 | WAS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1986 | NYG | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| 1985 | CHI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 1984 | SFO | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1983 | RAI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| 1982 | WAS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 1981 | SFO | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980 | OAK | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 1979 | PIT | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1978 | PIT | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1977 | DAL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 1976 | OAK | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 1975 | PIT | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 1974 | PIT | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1973 | MIA | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 1972 | MIA | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 1971 | DAL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| 1970 | BAL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1969 | KAN | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 1968 | NYJ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| 1967 | GNB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 1966 | GNB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Avg | 0.66 | 0.62 | 0.57 | 0.23 | 0.49 | 0.45 | 0.34 | 0.43 | 0.6 | 0.36 | 0.51 | 0.45 | 0.79 | 0.23 | 0.11 | 6.96 |
Note: The farther back in time you go, the less clear some of the designations are regarding special teams player. Did Morris make the Pro Bowl as a running back, a returner, or a great player who was a running back and returner? As a result, take the “ST” column — which shows punt and kick returners along with special teams “aces” that made the Pro Bowl — with a grain of salt.
Other interesting note: the ’68 Jets and the ’85 Bears are the only two teams with two Pro Bowl defensive ends, and arguably Chicago’s Dan Hampton was just as much defensive tackle as he was end that year (he switched mid-way through the season to accommodate the Fridge). Those Jets are also one of just three teams to send two wide receivers to the Pro Bowl.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I worked out a percent value for each position, based on 22 starters, with your numbers. No surprise at QB but a couple surprises on defense.
OLB – 6.37%
ILB – 6.00%
DT – 7.17%
DE – 7.50%
CB – 5.62%
S – 9.87%
QB – 16.50%
C – 8.50%
OG – 5.62%
OT – 6.12%
WR – 7.12%
TE – 4.32%
RB – 9.58%
Assumed number of starters for each position, btw.
OLB – 2
ILB – 1.5
DT – 1.5
DE – 2
CB – 2
S – 2
QB – 1
C – 1
OG – 2
OT – 2
WR – 2
TE – 1.33
RB – 1.67
Who was the 3rd 1968 Jets wide receiver to make the Pro Bowl? Maynard and Sauer I know, and Pete Lammons was the TE. But per my brief research, there was no 3rd Jet receiver on the Pro Bowl. Just curious.
Whoops – the table had it right, but I meant to write three teams with two Pro Bowlers.
There’s a perverse pride in seeing the Giants win the superbowl with the lowest and 2nd lowest amount of pro bowlers (Although Plaxico should have been there in 2007)
This isn’t something I had ever thought about before, but when you posed the original question, I figured the teams of yesteryear had more Pro Bowlers than modern teams.
I assumed that the per-free agency teams probably built their teams up with more stars, and those guys stayed on the teams (and were able to retain their voting popularity). I also figured that the pre-2002ish teams, when the top seeds were most likely making the Super Bowl meant the teams with the most good players was winning.
Also, fewer teams in 1971, so the odds are just higher that they would have more Pro Bowl players.