By OSKAR GARCIA ADVERTISING By OSKAR GARCIA Associated Press HONOLULU — NFL great Jerry Rice is already bucking conventional fantasy football wisdom in a new Pro Bowl format inspired by the popular hobby. Rice picked New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees
By OSKAR GARCIA
Associated Press
HONOLULU — NFL great Jerry Rice is already bucking conventional fantasy football wisdom in a new Pro Bowl format inspired by the popular hobby.
Rice picked New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees and St. Louis defensive end Robert Quinn to anchor his Pro Bowl team on Tuesday, opting for a passer over a runner.
Rice made the selections in Hawaii after winning a coin toss against Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders. Rice called tails.
The decision prompted Sanders to select Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles and Houston defensive end J.J. Watt for Sunday’s game.
“Don’t think we forget Jerry picked them first,” Watt said when asked whether the new schoolyard-style format would leave players with bruised egos.
The toss and selections started a new process for the NFL in selecting this year’s Pro Bowl teams. Rice and Sanders are serving as captains and general managers in charge of divvying up the NFL stars.
“I’m so pumped — I’m ready to run some routes,” Rice said at a news conference after winning the toss, picking his players and embracing them as active player captains.
“That’s exactly how I thought it was going to go,” Sanders said.
The toss gave Sanders and Rice another chance for good-natured trash talk in a game that’s become as much about showcasing their personalities as celebrating the accomplishments of the NFL’s best.
Rice and Sanders split up interior lineman, punters and fullbacks during the first part of the draft, with the 22 picks announced on a tape-delayed show.
Sanders picked Ndamukong Suh with his first defensive tackle selection, and then opted for Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe. Rice grabbed Jason Hatcher and Marcell Dareus, and was assigned Kyle Williams.
Among guards, Rice picked two of Brees’ New Orleans teammates, Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs, along with Evan Mathis. Sanders picked Marshal Yanda and Logan Mankins and was assigned Kyle Long.
Centers Mike Pouncey and Alex Mack went to Sanders, while Ryan Kalil and Nick Mangold went to Rice.
The rest of the players will be picked Wednesday during a draft aired live on the NFL Network.
NFL officials are hoping the new format is a recipe for a more competitive game on the field and higher ratings as the bulk of league fans look toward the Super Bowl on Feb. 2.
Brees said players know how to balance the demands of playing hard and avoiding injury.
“What it comes down to is just pride — pride in your effort and your performance,” Brees said.
