AP All-Pro team has Kansas City accent: Mahomes, 3 teammates

NEW YORK — From a breakthrough quarterback to a unanimous choice. From two brothers to four rookies for the first time — two from the same club, no less. The Associated Press 2018 All-Pro Team has something for everyone.

Patrick Mahomes and three other Kansas City Chiefs players made the squad Friday. They were joined by the first rookie teammates since 1965 — Colts guard left Quenton Nelson and linebacker Darius Leonard. The last time that occurred it was two future Hall of Famers, the Bears’ Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers.

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was the only unanimous choice in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.

“That’s surreal,” Donald said. “It’s a blessing. Wow! You see the hard work pay off.

“A lot of credit to my teammates and my coaches for pushing me and helping me.”

Mahomes, Kansas City’s second-year sensation, drew 45 votes at quarterback and was joined by teammates Travis Kelce at tight end, Tyreek Hill as the flex player and Mitchell Schwartz at right tackle.

Kelce’s brother, Eagles center Jason, also made the team.

“For me and my brother to both get it, it’s that much more special because I still remember us in the backyard fighting with each other, playing football growing up and we envisioned each other competing at the highest level, competing against the best players,” Jason said. “And for both of us to be recognized as one of those guys is pretty special.”

Joining Nelson and Leonard as rookies on the team were Seahawks punter Michael Dickson and Chargers safety Derwin James.

“These are the kind of guys who have the DNA, the makeup of everything that we are looking for,” Colts coach Frank Reich said of Nelson and Leonard. “All the intangibles, all the character qualities, everything about them. It’s a really hard filter to get through to get marked that way and both Quenton and Darius had that on their card. So that says something about their maturity and how fast we think they will develop.”

And already have developed.

Chicago also had four All-Pros: edge rusher Khalil Mack, cornerback Kyle Fuller, safety Eddie Jackson and punt returner Tarik Cohen.

Two players made All-Pro for the fifth time: Houston edge rusher J.J. Watt and Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly.

“It means a lot to get back to the top level of the game,” said Watt, who missed most of the 2016 and ’17 seasons with major injuries. “Obviously, it’s an extreme honor to be a first-team All-Pro, especially after what I’ve been through the last two years and hearing the things that people were saying and questioning myself at times.

“To be able to get back to the top level of the game and know that I still have things to improve on and things that I want to get even better at, it’s exciting.”

The All-Pro team was split: 14 AFC and 14 NFC members. There were 16 newcomers: Mahomes; Schwartz; Fuller; Jackson; Cohen; Saints receiver Michael Thomas; Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari; Eagles interior defensive lineman Fletcher Cox; Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore; Chargers defensive back Desmond King and special teamer Adrian Phillips; Jets kick returner Andre Roberts; and the four rookies.

Players with previous All-Pro honors who made the 2018 team included Donald and Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner, each for the fourth time; Mack, Dallas right guard Zack Martin and Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, each for the third time; Hill; Rams running back Todd Gurley; and Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

“I think I really took a lot of pride in leadership,” said Wagner, who drew 49 votes. “I knew that was going to be big if we were going to be successful. I knew I was going to have to up my role in that, up my mindfulness in that. I was really conscious of that and just making sure I was, when it came to getting back to the defense I looked at it from a different lens.”

Hopkins got the most votes on offense with 46.

“This is validation,” Hopkins said. “I feel like these people are the people who actually know football, who study football, who have been around football for years. So to be on this list and to be first team is a great feeling. But it makes me want to work harder and continue to be on that list.”

AP Pro Football Writers Rob Maaddi and Dennis Waszak Jr., and Sports Writers Mike Marot, Kristie Rieken and Greg Beacham contributed to this report.

AP All-Pro Team

The Associated Press 2018 NFL All-Pro team selected by a national panel of 50 media members:

Quarterback — Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City

Running Back — Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Flex — Tyreek Hill, Kansas City

Tight End — Travis Kelce, Kansas City

Wide Receivers — Michael Thomas, New Orleans; DeAndre Hopkins, Houston

Left Tackle — David Bakhtiari, Green Bay

Right Tackle — Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City

Left Guard — Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis

Right Guard — Zack Martin, Dallas

Center — Jason Kelce, Philadelphia

Edge Rushers — J.J. Watt, Houston; Khalil Mack, Chicago

Interior Linemen — Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams; Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia

Linebackers — Luke Kuechly, Carolina; Bobby Wagner, Seattle; Darius Leonard, Indianapolis

Cornerbacks — Kyle Fuller, Chicago; Stephon Gilmore, New England

Safeties — Eddie Jackson, Chicago; Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers

Defensive Back — Desmond King, Los Angeles Chargers

Placekicker — Justin Tucker, Baltimore

Punter — Michael Dickson, Seattle

Kick Returner — Andre Roberts, New York Jets

Punt Returner — Tarik Cohen, Chicago

Special Teamer — Adrian Phillips, Los Angeles Chargers

Quarterback — Drew Brees, New Orleans

Running Back — Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas

Flex — Christian McCaffrey, Carolina

Tight End — George Kittle, San Francisco

Wide Receivers — Julio Jones, Atlanta; Tyreek Hill, Kansas City

Left Tackle — Duane Brown, Seattle, and Terron Armstead, New Orleans

Right Tackle — Ryan Ramczyk, New Orleans

Left Guard — Joel Bitonio, Cleveland

Right Guard — Marshal Yanda, Baltimore

Center — Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh

Edge Rushers — Von Miller, Denver; Cameron Jordan, New Orleans, and Myles Garrett, Cleveland, and Danielle Hunter, Minnesota

Interior Linemen — Chris Jones, Kansas City; J.J. Watt, Houston

Linebackers — Von Miller, Denver; C.J. Mosley, Baltimore; Leighton Vander Esch, Dallas

Cornerbacks — Byron Jones, Dallas; Xavien Howard, Miami

Safeties — Jamal Adams, New York Jets; Harrison Smith, Minnesota.

Defensive Back — Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers

Placekicker — Aldrick Rosas, New York Giants

Punter — Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles Rams

Kick Returner — Cordarrelle Patterson, New England

Punt Returner — Desmond King, Los Angeles Chargers

Special Teamer — Cory Littleton, Los Angeles Rams