NFL Players Association Announces First Annual Players' All-Pro Team

WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the first time in NFL history, and as the experts in their own field, players had the exclusive opportunity to determine which of their peers performed best this season. Following a league-wide vote, the inaugural Players’ All-Pro Team was announced Wednesday by the NFL Players Association.

Twenty-nine players earned a spot on the prestigious, Players’ All-Pro first team, which highlights the top performers across 23 different positions. In the coming weeks, the NFLPA will release a top 5 list that provides a more extensive look at how players voted in each category.

The guidelines and ballot for the Players’ All-Pro Team were created with an emphasis on consistency, availability and positional familiarity, including:

• Only active NFL players were eligible to vote, and each player could only vote once.
• Players could not vote for themselves or for their teammates.
• If a player missed five or more games as of Week 15 of the season, they were ineligible for a spot on the team.
• Players voted for the position group they play in and line up against on the field. For example, centers could vote for: the best center, the best nose tackle, the best interior defensive lineman and the best off-ball linebacker in the league.
• For the special teams (or “core teamers”) category, various player leaders from each locker room nominated their two top players for the ballot.

“Players compete against each other all season long, watching hours and hours of film week after week; and yet, we have never had an opportunity to truly use our expertise to select the best of us,” NFLPA President JC Tretter said. “We think it is important that players take the time to define ourselves, because so far, we have allowed everyone else to either pick or dilute our voices.”

THE 2022 PLAYERS’ ALL-PRO FIRST TEAM

Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City)
Running back: Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas)
Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk (San Francisco)
Wide Receiver (2): Justin Jefferson (Minnesota), Davante Adams (Las Vegas)
Tight End: Travis Kelce (Kansas City)
Left Tackle: Trent Williams (San Francisco)
Left Guard: Joel Bitonio (Cleveland)
Center: Jason Kelce (Philadelphia)
Right Guard: Zack Martin (Dallas)
Right Tackle: Lane Johnson (Philadelphia)

Edge Rusher (2): Nick Bosa (San Francisco), Myles Garrett (Cleveland)
Nose Tackle: Dexter Lawrence (New York Giants)
Interior Defensive Lineman (2): Chris Jones (Kansas City), Aaron Donald (Los Angeles Rams)
Off-Ball Linebacker (2): Fred Warner (San Francisco), Roquan Smith (Baltimore)
Cornerback (2): Pat Surtain II (Denver), Darius Slay (Philadelphia)
Free Safety: Minkah Fitzpatrick (Pittsburgh)
Strong Safety: Derwin James Jr. (Los Angeles Chargers)

Kick Returner: Cordarrelle Patterson (Atlanta)
Punt Returner: KaVontae Turpin (Dallas)
Core Teamer (2): Jeremy Reaves (Washington), Justin Hardee (New York Jets)
Kicker: Jason Myers (Seattle)
Punter: Tommy Townsend (Kansas City)
Long snapper: Morgan Cox (Tennessee)

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About the NFL Players Association:

The National Football League Players Association is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 season. Learn more at www.nflpa.com.