Fourteen former SEC stars participated in Sunday night’s NFL Pro Bowl, where the team drafted by Michael Irvin topped the squad assembled by fellow NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice 49-27 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett – who played at Texas A&M before the Aggies joined the SEC — was the defensive MVP after deflecting a pass and recording the game’s only sack.
QB Russell Wilson, Bennett’s Seattle teammate and the first player picked in the Pro Bowl draft, was named the offensive MVP after throwing three first-half TD passes – two to former SEC standouts Julio Jones (Alabama) and Todd Gurley (Georgia).
New York Giants QB Eli Manning (Ole Miss) threw a 4-yard TD pass to give Team Rice a 7-0 lead. Jarvis Landry (LSU) caught a 31-yard TD pass from Buffalo’s Tyrod Taylor with 6:05 left in the game.
Here are the numbers the SEC alumni posted in the NFL’s annual all-star game:
TEAM IRVIN
Geno Atkins, DT (Georgia): 4 tackles
Michael Bennett, DE (Texas A&M): 1 sack, also took a direct snap that nearly led to a touchdown.
A.J. Green, WR (Georgia): 3 catches for 60 yards.
Todd Gurley, RB (Georgia): 3 carries for 18 yards, also had 2 catches for 18 yards and a touchdown.
Carlos Dunlap, DE (Florida): 1 tackle
Reshad Jones, S (Georgia): 3 tackles
Patrick DiMarco, FB (South Carolina): 3 carries for 15 yards
Andrew Whitworth, OT (LSU): N/A — Offensive linemen do not accumulate statistics.
TEAM RICE
Eli Manning, QB (Ole Miss): 6-9 passing, 75 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT.
Jarvis Landry, WR (LSU): 3 catches for 81 yards and a touchdown, recovered his own fumble
Odell Beckham Jr., WR (LSU): 1 catch, 14 yards.
Amari Cooper, WR (Alabama): 1 catch, 23 yards.
Fletcher Cox, DT (Mississippi State): 3 tackles.
NOTE: Bennett played at Texas A&M when it was still affiliated with the Big 12 and not the SEC.
Stan Chrapowicki is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, Alabama and Auburn.
