12 January 2024 , 18:32
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The NFL All-Pro First and Second teams have been announced, with some surprising choices. Baltimore Ravens' quarterback Lamar Jackson has been awarded First-team All-Pro honours after a fantastic season, but other big names like Travis Kelce didn't make the cut.
Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott was named in the AP Second-team All-Pro selection after an impressive season. San Francisco 49ers' Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle were chosen for the first-team spots at running back and tight end respectively, while their teammate Kyle Juszczck earned his first selection after eight Pro Bowl appearances.
Miami Dolphins' Tyreek Hill, Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb and Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown are the first-team wide receivers. Philadelphia Eagles' Jason Kelce leads the offensive line at centre, joined by Trent Williams (49ers), Joe Thuney (Kansas City Chiefs), Zak Martin (Cowboys) and Penei Sewell (Lions).
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On the defensive side, Myles Garrett from Cleveland Browns and TJ Watt from Pittsburgh Steelers are the first-team edge rushers. Los Angeles Rams' Aaron Donald and Chiefs' Chris Jones made the cut as interior linemen. Niners linebacker Fred Warner, Cowboys' DaRon Bland and New York Jets' Sauce Gardner have also been selected.
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Kyren Williams, Sam LaPorta, AJ Brown and Puka Nacua have all been named in the second team. On defence, Micah Parsons, Jessie Bates and Maxx Crosby were also recognised by the AP voters.
Travis Kelce, a four-time All-Pro, missed out this time after a challenging season with the Chiefs' passing game. This is the first time since 2015 that Kelce hasn't made the first or second All-Pro team.
Lamar Jackson has received First-team All-Pro recognition for the second time. (Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images)On defence, Garrett surpassed several players who had more sacks than him but his overall impact on games is undeniable.
Trey Hendrickson (Cincinnati Bengals), Josh Allen (Jacksonville Jaguars), Khalil Mack (Los Angeles Chargers) and Danielle Hunter (Minnesota Vikings) all had more sacks than Garrett, but it was the Browns' defensive heartbeat that got the nod.
Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore might feel hard done by as he wasn't selected for the second team. His performance was similar to Niners star Brandon Aiyuk, who was selected but played on a significantly weaker offence.
Jackson's selection as the first-team quarterback could be the start of a fantastic run for the 27 year old, who is the favourite to be named MVP at the NFL Honors ceremony on Feb. 8. His Ravens team is the bookies' pick to win the Super Bowl in Las Vegas after an impressive 13-4 season. They have a first-round bye and will enter the playoffs in the divisional round next week.
Jackson was only 16th in the league for passing yards during the regular season, but his dual threat as a runner is what makes the Ravens' offence so dynamic. He managed to combine 3,678 passing yards and 24 touchdowns with 821 rushing yards and five scores on the ground.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]