The Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs each placed a league-high four players on the 2016 All-NFL team, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
The Cowboys had four members of the offense on the All-NFL team: rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, center Travis Frederick, guard Zack Martin and tackle Tyron Smith. Safety Eric Berry, tight end Travis Kelce, cornerback Marcus Peters and rookie punt returner Tyreek Hill were the four Chiefs to receive All-NFL honors.
A total of 11 players were repeat selections from the PFWA’s 2015 All-NFL team. In addition to the Cowboys’ Martin, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams punter Johnny Hekker, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack and Minnesota Vikings kickoff returner Cordarrelle Patterson also received 2015 honors. Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas was selected to the PFWA’s All-NFL team for the fourth consecutive season, the longest current streak among active players, and the seventh time (2009-11, 2013-16) in his career. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller and the Cowboys’ Smith were selected All-NFL for the third consecutive season.
Miller (2012, 2014-16) and New England Patriots special teamer Matthew Slater (2011-12, 2014, 2016) were selected All-NFL for the fourth time in their careers. Berry (2013, 2015-16), Hekker (2013, 2015-16) and Patterson (2013, 2015-16) were selected for the third time while Frederick (2014, 2016) and Baltimore Ravens placekicker Justin Tucker (2013, 2016) were selected for the second time.
A total of 13 players were first-time All-NFL selections.
The Falcons were third with three All-NFL selections, and four clubs – the Broncos, Giants, Raiders and Rams – each had two players on the All-NFL team. In all, 15 clubs are represented among the 27 players honored by the PFWA.
The All-NFL offense includes the Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Ryan at quarterback, Elliott and the Arizona Cardinals’ David Johnson at running back, Brown and Jones at wide receiver, Kelce at tight end, Frederick at center, Martin and the Raiders’ Kelechi Osemele at guard and Smith and Thomas at tackle.
The All-NFL defense includes the Houston Texans’ Jadeveon Clowney and Mack at defensive end, Donald and the New York Giants’ Damon Harrison at defensive tackle, the Falcons’ Vic Beasley and Miller at outside linebacker, the Seattle Seahawks’ Bobby Wagner at middle linebacker, Peters and the Broncos’ Aqib Talib at cornerback and Berry and the Giants’ Landon Collins at safety.
The All-NFL special teams include Tucker at placekicker, Hekker at punter, Patterson at kickoff returner, Hill at punt returner and Slater as the special teamer.
The PFWA also announced the All-AFC and All-NFC teams. The Chiefs led all AFC teams with five conference selections (including Hill at both kick returner and punt returner), while the Patriots and Raiders each had four AFC honorees. The Giants led all NFC clubs with five conference selections, while the Cowboys and the Falcons had four each.
2016 PFWA ALL-NFL TEAM
Offense
QB – Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
RB – Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys; David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals
WR – Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers#; Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons*
TE – Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
C – Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys
G – Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys*; Kelechi Osemele, Oakland Raiders
T – Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys#; Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns&
Defense
DE – Jadeveon Clowney, Houston Texans; Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders*
DT – Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams*; Damon Harrison, New York Giants
OLB – Vic Beasley, Atlanta Falcons; Von Miller, Denver Broncos#
MLB – Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
CB – Marcus Peters, Kansas City Chiefs; Aqib Talib, Denver Broncos
S – Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs*; Landon Collins, New York Giants
Special Teams
PK – Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens
P – Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles Rams*
KR – Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings*
PR – Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
ST – Matthew Slater, New England Patriots
* – repeat selection from 2015
# – consecutive selections from 2014-16
& – consecutive selections from 2013-16
2016 PFWA ALL-AFC TEAM
Offense
QB – Tom Brady, New England Patriots#
RB – Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers, DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Titans
WR – Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers&; T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
TE – Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
C – Rodney Hudson, Oakland Raiders*
G – Kelechi Osemele, Oakland Raiders; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore Ravens#
T – Donald Penn, Oakland Raiders; Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns&
Defense
DE – Jadeveon Clowney, Houston Texans; Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders*
DT – Geno Atkins, Cincinnati Bengals*; Ndamukong Suh, Miami Dolphins*
OLB – Lorenzo Alexander, Buffalo Bills; Von Miller, Denver Broncos&
MLB – Dont’a Hightower, New England Patriots
CB – Marcus Peters, Kansas City Chiefs*; Aqib Talib, Denver Broncos
S – Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs*; Devin McCourty, New England Patriots
Special Teams
PK – Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens
P – Pat McAfee, Indianapolis Colts
KR – Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
PR – Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
ST – Matthew Slater, New England Patriots@
* – repeat selection from 2015
# – consecutive selections from 2014-16
& – consecutive selections from 2013-16
@ – consecutive selections from 2011-16
2016 PFWA ALL-NFC TEAM
Offense
QB – Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
RB – Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys; David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals
WR – Odell Beckham Jr.*, New York Giants; Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons*
TE – Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers#
C – Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys
G – T.J. Lang, Green Bay Packers; Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys#
T – Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys#; Trent Williams, Washington Redskins*
Defense
DE – Cliff Avril, Seattle Seahawks; Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles
DT – Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams*; Damon Harrison, New York Giants
OLB – Vic Beasley, Atlanta Falcons; Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins
MLB – Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks
CB – Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants; Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals*
S – Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay Packers; Landon Collins, New York Giants
Special Teams
PK – Matt Bryant, Atlanta Falcons
P – Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles Rams&
KR – Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings*
PR – Marcus Sherels, Minnesota Vikings
ST – Dwayne Harris, New York Giants
* – repeat selection from 2015
# – consecutive selections from 2014-16
& – consecutive selections from 2013-16
