Lincoln ? Two former Huskers were selected to the 2004 Pro Bowl, while two other Huskers were chosen as first alternates, as the National Football League announced its Pro Bowl selections late Thursday.
Green Bay Packers running back Ahman Green and Kansas City Chiefs offensive guard Will Shields were chosen as starters for the NFC and AFC teams, respectively, while Detroit Lions fullback Cory Schlesinger and Carolina Panthers defensive end Mike Rucker were both named first alternates for the NFC squad.
Green, who played at Nebraska from 1995 to 1997, is second in the NFC in rushing with a team-high 1,538 yards through 14 games. He became only the second Packer in team history to rush for 1,000 yards for four seasons, and this will mark his third Pro Bowl appearance. He ranks second in the NFC in total yards from scrimmage with 1,894 and paces the NFC in non-kicker scoring with 102 points.
Shields will make his ninth straight appearance in Hawaii. Shields is a key component in helping the Chiefs lead the NFL in scoring (30.9 ppg) and yards per play (6.0 yards per play) and second in total offense, averaging 375.8 yards per game. A former Outland Trophy winner, Shields has made a team-record 173 straight starts, the third-longest active streak in the NFL, dating back to the 1993 season.
Schlesinger was selected as an alternate for the second straight year, as he is one of the NFL’s premier fullbacks. He has just seven carries this season, but ranks fourth on the Lions with 33 catches for 242 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Rucker has been one of the keys for Carolina’s resurgence this season, as he is fourth in the NFL with 12 sacks. Despite missing last week’s game with a knee strain, Rucker, who was chosen as an alternate for the first time, also has 73 tackes, including 56 unassisted tackles, four pass breakups and 20 quarterback hurries.
Nebraska leads the Big 12 and ranks among the national leaders with 35 former players currently on NFL rosters.