FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and defensive lineman Richard Seymour have been selected to represent the Patriots and the AFC at the 2006 Pro Bowl in Honolulu on Feb. 12.
Brady, 28, is in his sixth NFL season and has earned his third career Pro Bowl selection, heading to Hawaii for the second consecutive season. The two-time Super Bowl MVP was also named to the Pro Bowl following the 2001 season. Brady's three Pro Bowl nods tie Vito "Babe" Parilli and Drew Bledsoe for the most selections by a Patriots quarterback. In 2005, Brady leads the NFL with a career-high 3,888 passing yards, a number that ranks fourth on the Patriots' all-time list with two games still to play. Brady has thrown a career-high 32 passes of 25 yards or more this season, a figure that also leads the NFL (Jake Delhomme, 28). His passer rating of 93.3 through 14 games is on pace to top his previous career high (92.6 in 2004) and is just 0.1 points away from the Patriots franchise record (Tony Eason, 93.4 in 1984). Brady has started 85 consecutive regular-season and playoff games for the Patriots, compiling a 66-19 (.776) record in those contests. Brady's regular-season winning percentage (57-19, .750) is the best of any quarterback in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) who has started more than 40 games.
Seymour, 26, has been named to his fourth Pro Bowl and has earned his fourth consecutive trip to Hawaii, becoming the first Patriots player to earn as many as four straight nods since tight end Ben Coates was named to five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1994-98. Seymour's four Pro Bowl seasons are the most by any Patriots defensive lineman since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, and he is one of just nine Patriots to earn four or more Pro Bowl selections since the merger 36 seasons ago. This season, Seymour has played in 10 games and has recorded 61 tackles (33 solo). His 3.0 sacks lead all Patriots defensive linemen. He missed four games due to injury and since his return to the lineup on Nov. 13, the Patriots have allowed just 11.5 points per game while recording a 5-1 record. Since Seymour returned six games ago, the Patriots have shut down the run, allowing their opponents just 2.8 yards per carry (129 attempts, 361 yards) a figure that leads the NFL over that span (San Diego, 3.2). Seymour, who was named a defensive captain by his teammates for the third straight season, has been a key part of a Patriots defense that has allowed just 10 total points in its last three games, a franchise record for the fewest number of points allowed in a three-game span.
