Chris Johnson unanimous choice for AP All-Pro team

[February 04, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- While plenty of veterans made the squad, The Associated Press 2009 NFL All-Pro team has a refreshingly youthful vibe, too.

With Titans 2,000-yard rusher Chris Johnson, the only unanimous choice, and 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis, who got all but one vote, leading the way, the team has a hefty share of relative newcomers to the league. Johnson, the Offensive Player of the Year, is in his second pro season. Willis is in his third.

Other youngsters chosen by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL were tackles Joe Thomas (third season) of Cleveland and Ryan Clady (second) of Denver; New Orleans guard Jahri Evans (fourth); New York Jets center Nick Mangold (fourth); Denver linebacker Elvis Dumervil (fourth); and Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (third).

"To be selected for the All-Pro team is really overwhelming to me," Clady said. "There are so many great tackles playing right now. To be recognized among them is truly a blessing. I would like to thank my teammates and coaches for this honor."

Added Revis, considered the league's top cover cornerback: "It's great personally and for our team when you get that kind of recognition. It means we're doing some of the things we set out to do."

For setting the league mark for yards from scrimmage and becoming the sixth 2,000-yard rusher in NFL history, Johnson was the top vote-getter, followed by Willis, and with 48 each, Oakland punter Shane Lechler, Revis, and Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson, the outstanding Packers cornerback.

"He's a complete football player," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said of Woodson, who also made the All-Pro team in 1999 with Oakland. "He's played four positions for us on defense. He's gone against the No. 1 receiver, he's gone against the top tight end. I mean, he's really been an outstanding, outstanding football player for us this year."

Another individual award winner, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who won an unprecedented fourth Most Valuable Player Award last week, joined Johnson in the backfield. The other running back was Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, and Philadelphia's Leonard Weaver was the fullback.

Willis made All-Pro for the second time; the other inside linebacker, Baltimore's Ray Lewis, made it for the seventh time.

Other veteran All-Pros included Manning, chosen for the fifth time, as were Minnesota guard Steve Hutchinson and Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams, and Lechler.

The Vikings had the most players on the team with four -- defensive end Jared Allen also made it. Next was Indianapolis with three: Manning, tight end Dallas Clark and DE Dwight Freeney.

New Orleans (Evans and safety Darren Sharper), Dallas (outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware and defensive tackle Jay Ratliff), the Jets (Revis and Mangold), Denver (Clady and Dumervil) and Cleveland (Thomas and kick returner Joshua Cribbs) had two players.

In all, there were 15 AFC players and 12 from the NFC.

Fourteen players made All-Pro for the first time: Johnson, Revis, Dumervil, Ratliff, Cribbs, Mangold, Evans, Thomas, Clady, Clark, Weaver, New England receiver Wes Welker, San Diego placekicker Nate Kaeding and Arizona safety Adrian Wilson.

Sharper made it nine years ago with Green Bay.

Also selected to the team was Houston receiver Andre Johnson for the second time.

Repeaters from last year were Manning, Peterson, Andre Johnson, Hutchinson, Allen, Williams, Ware, Lewis and Lechler.

The New York Giants, Washington, Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Seattle, St. Louis, Miami, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Cincinnati, Kansas City and Pittsburgh had no All-Pros this season.

[Associated Press; By BARRY WILNER]

AP Sports Writers Janie McCauley in San Francisco, Teresa M. Walker in Nashville and Arnie Stapleton in Denver contributed to this story.

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