Champ Bailey Named Pro Bowl Starter

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey has been named a starter on the American Football Conference roster for the annual AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, the National Football League announced Tuesday. The game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 10, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu at 2:30 p.m. MST and will be televised by FOX.

Bailey, in his ninth NFL season and fourth year with the Broncos, returns to the Pro Bowl for the eighth time in his career and was honored as a starter for the seventh season. His eight-year streak of being named to the Pro Bowl is the longest current streak among all active NFL defensive players while his four consecutive Pro Bowl selections with Denver tie for the third-longest streak in club history.

“It’s a little bittersweet because we haven’t met our team expectations for the season, but it’s an honor to be respected around the league and by fans,” Bailey said.

The cornerback leads Denver’s secondary with 66 tackles (53 solo) this season and has posted three interceptions along with 11 pass breakups in 13 games (13 starts). Bailey’s 24 interceptions since joining the Broncos in 2004 represent the highest total in the NFL and tie for eighth in team history.

Selected by Washington in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft from the University of Georgia, Bailey’s 42 career interceptions in his nine professional seasons rank second in the NFL during that span.

Bailey’s Pro Bowl selection was based on an equally weighted vote of NFL coaches, players and fans. It marks the 27th consecutive season that the Broncos will have at least one representative in the contest.

In their 48-year history, the Broncos have had 54 players receive a total of 139 individual Pro Bowl nominations.