Virtual Pro Bowl
» Four teams lead with seven picks each; Texans have 2.
Led by their star quarterbacks, the Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers each had seven players selected to the Pro Bowl.
The Baltimore Ravens also had seven players chosen.
Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes joins Buffalo's Josh Allen and the Texans' Deshaun Watson as the AFC quarterbacks. For the NFC, it's Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, Seattle's Russell Wilson and Arizona's Kyler Murray.
Mahomes and Rodgers are the starters, though there will be no actual game this season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Jan. 31, the players will be celebrated during two Pro Bowl-themed shows airing on an ESPN/ABC simulcast, with a virtual Pro Bowl experience within the Madden NFL 21 video game.
Roster selections were determined by votes of players, coaches and fans.
Joining Watson on the AFC squad is Texans teammate and left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Other notable selections include Titans running back Derrick Henry, the NFL's leading rusher, and highly productive receivers Keenan Allen of the Chargers and Stefon Diggs of the Bills for the AFC's offense.
For the NFC, such standouts as Arizona wideout DeAndre Hopkins, Minnesota running back Dalvin Cook, New Orleans RB Alvin Kamara and Philadelphia center Jason Kelce made it.
Five teams have no Pro Bowl players: the Jaguars, Jets, Bengals, Cowboys and Panthers.
Hall of Fame LB Greene dies at 58
Hall of Fame linebacker Kevin Greene, considered one of the fiercest pass rushers in NFL history, has died. He was 58.
Greene died Monday, the family confirmed. No cause of death was given.
A two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, Greene finished his career with 160 sacks, which ranks third in league history behind only Bruce Smith (200) and Reggie White (198). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
He played 15 seasons for four teams: the Los Angeles Rams (1985-1992), Pittsburgh Steelers (1993-1995), Carolina Panthers (1996, 1998-99) and San Francisco 49ers.
Panthers dismiss GM Hurney
The Carolina Panthers fired general manager Marty Hurney on Monday after the team lost eight of its last nine games and failed to make the playoffs for a third straight season.
Hurney's contract was set to expire after the season. This had been Hurney's second stint with the Panthers. He was the general manager from 2002-12 and again from 2017-20.
His ouster led to speculation he may be headed to Washington to reunite with former Panthers coach Ron Rivera. Washington fired its GM Bruce Allen in 2019, and Rivera was hired to run football operations.
The Panthers made four playoff appearances under Hurney, won two division titles and played in one NFC Championship, resulting in a trip to Super Bowl in 2003. The Panthers made a second trip to the Super Bowl in 2005 under Dave Gettleman.
Odds and ends
Versatile Browns offensive lineman Chris Hubbard's season is likely over after he sustained a serious knee injury early in Sunday night's win over the New York Giants. … Washington is signing veteran linebacker Mychal Kendricks off the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad to boost a defense that has struggled in the first half much of the season. … The Lions fired special teams coordinator Brayden Coombs. Former Detroit coach Matt Patricia hired Coombs in January after he worked with the Bengals for 10 seasons. The Lions fired Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn last month.