For the first time ever, the NFL Players Association released its All-Pro Team with a pair of former Tennessee Volunteers, Cordarrelle Patterson of the Atlanta Falcons and Morgan Cox of the Tennessee Titans, making the inaugural list in special teams positions.
Patterson was voted an All-Pro kick returner by his peers after proving to be the most dangerous return-man in the pro game in his 10th year in the league. Though he only had nine opportunities to run back a kick in 2022, he was electric when he did, averaging 31.6 yards per return and housing his ninth-career kick return against the Chicago Bears in Week 11. That 103-yard return broke a tie for the NFL record in career kick return scores with Josh Cribbs and Leon Washington.
Cox, on the other hand, is one of the most widely-respected long snappers in the league. Cox was named to his fifth-career Pro Bowl just three weeks ago and reached a milestone 200 career games played on Oct. 30. Cox had the third-most snaps of any long snapper this season, successfully delivering 147 this year. He also added a tackle against Houston in Week 16.
For Patterson, it marks his eighth-career All-Pro nod, earning first-team acclaim in 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2020 while taking home second-team honors in 2015, 2018 and 2019. Cox was voted a first-team All-Pro during the 2020 season.
The voting for the first-even NFLPA All-Pro Team was done by active players from across the league. Players could not vote for themselves or for their teammates and only voted for the position group they play in as well as the players lining up against them on the other side of the ball. All players were eligible for votes as long as they did not miss five or more games as of Week 15 of the season and two special teamers were nominated by leaders from each team.
The first-ever NFL Players Association All-Pro Team in its totality can be found below.
Offense
QB: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City)
RB: Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas)
FB: Kyle Juszczyk (San Francisco)
WR: Justin Jefferson (Minnesota), Davante Adams (Las Vegas)
TE: Travis Kelce (Kansas City)
LT: Trent Williams (San Francisco)
LG: Joel Bitonio (Cleveland)
C: Jason Kelce (Philadelphia)
RG: Zack Martin (Dallas)
RT: Lane Johnson (Philadelphia)
Defense
EDGE: Nick Bosa (San Francisco), Myles Garrett (Cleveland)
DL: Chris Jones (Kansas City), Aaron Donald (LA Rams)
NT: Dexter Lawrence (New York Giants)
LB: Fred Warner (San Francisco), Roquan Smith (Baltimore)
CB: Pat Surtain II (Denver), Darius Slay (Philadelphia)
FS: Minkah Fitzpatrick (Pittsburgh)
SS: Derwin James Jr. (LA Chargers)
Special Teams
KR: Cordarrelle Patterson (Atlanta)
PR: KaVontae Turpin (Dallas)
CORE: Jeremy Reaves (Washington), Justin Hardee (NY Jets)
K: Jason Myers (Seattle)
P: Tommy Townsend (Kansas City)
LS: Morgan Cox (Tennessee)
-UT Athletics
