Raiders’ Waller left off All-Pro team despite record year
Raider Nation has its own version of voter fraud, and it involved Darren Waller being left off the 2020 NFL AllPro Team.
The Chiefs’ Travis Kelce was the selection as firstteam tight end, and deservedly so. Kelce had 105 receptions for an NFL record (for a tight end) 1,416 yards, 11 touchdowns and 79 first downs.
Waller broke Tim Brown’s franchise record with 107 receptions for 1,196 yards, nine touchdowns and 69 first downs.
So given the Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions and Kelce outperformed Waller in every statistical area except receptions, it was clear Kelce was choice No. 1 and Waller No. 2.
But here’s the rub — The Associated Press uses a national 50-member voting panel (none of them AP writers) and Kelce got all 50 votes.
If Waller had received even a single first-team vote over Kelce, he would have been second team. But since Waller’s name appeared nowhere on anyone’s ballot, second-team was listed as “vacant” and there was outrage on social media.
The AP has made adjustments before because of voting quirks. In 2016, the Raiders’ Khalil Mack got enough votes at both defensive end and linebacker (even though he was primarily an end) to be named All-Pro at two positions.
Now The AP requires a player to be listed at only one position based on official snap counts.
Last season, Christian McCaffrey was named at two spots — running back and at the “flex” position — and in 2020 the flex position was eliminated in favor of a third wide receiver.
The AP could avoid the Waller problem by revising its system to having voters cast ballots with a No. 1 and a runner-up.
Then again, maybe not.
Second-team spots have been left vacant before and there wasn’t enough outrage to change the system.
Other Raiders who received All-Pro votes were center Rodney Hudson (5) and punt returner Hunter Renfrow (1).
MORE ALL-PRO SELECTIONS >> Dynamic defensive star Aaron Donald of the Rams was also a unanimous choice, making his sixth All-Pro Team.
Joining Donald and Kelce were 15 players returning to the squad, and 14 newcomers.
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was selected for the third time, finishing ahead of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, who shared second-team honors with Josh Allen of Buffalo.
Tennessee running back Derrick Henry, who ran for 2,027 yards to win his second consecutive rushing title, was named All-Pro for the first time after leading the AFC South champion Titans to their first division title in 12 years.
Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner also made his sixth squad.
Kansas City receiver Tyreek Hill is now a threetime All-Pro along with Rodgers.
Joining Henry as firsttime choices among skill players were Buffalo wideout Stefon Diggs, who led the NFL in catches and yards receiving, and Rodgers’ favorite target, Davante Adams.
The Packers and Colts led all teams with four AllPros apiece. Green Bay left tackle David Bakhtiari, who is out for the playoffs after injuring a knee in practice during the final week of the regular season, made it for the second time. Center Corey Linsley was a first-time selection.
Indianapolis has interior lineman DeForest Buckner and linebacker Darius Leonard on the defense, left guard Quenton Nelson on offense, and George Odum as the special teamer. Nelson is a three-time All-Pro, Leonard a double selection, while Buckner and Odum made it for the first time.
Rounding out the offense were Cleveland right tackle Jack Conklin (second selection), and Washington right guard Brandon Scherff (first).
Also on defense were edge rushers T. J. Watt, the NFL’s sacks leader for Pittsburgh who is on his second All-Pro Team, and newcomer Myles Garrett of Cleveland; San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner (first selection); cornerbacks Xavien Howard (first) of Miami, the league’s interception leader, and Jalen Ramsey (second) of the Rams; and safeties Tyrann Mathieu (third) of Kansas City, Minkah Fitzpatrick of Pittsburgh and Budda Baker of Arizona, both for the second time. There was a tie between Fitzpatrick and Baker for the second safety spot.
The long snapper position is new to the All-Pro Team in 2020, and Baltimore’s Morgan Cox was the choice. Chicago kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson made it for the fourth time. The rest of the special teams positions were newcomers: Miami kicker Jason Sanders, New England punter Jake Bailey and punt returner Gunner Olszewski.
Repeaters from 2019 were Donald, Wagner, Nelson, Watt, Fitzpatrick, Mathieu and Patterson. COWBOYS FIRE DC NOLAN >> Dallas fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan after its defense allowed a franchise-record 473 points and finished 31st in the NFL against the run in his only season. The Cowboys finished 6-10.