The 2018 AP All-Pro teams were announced on Thursday and the Pittsburgh Steelers only had one player receive honors and it was center Maurkice Pouncey, who made the second-team. That obviously means that all three of the Steelers players currently under contract who made first-team All-Pro a year ago, wide receiver Antonio Brown, guard David DeCastro and defensive lineman Camneron Heyward, failed to receive the honors this year. Overall, that’s not a big deal and while I’m not going to say that any of the three Steelers players were snubbed, I think the Associated Press needs to take a closer look at their 50 voters after closely examining the vote totals this year.
Brown not making the All-Pro team this year probably isn’t a huge surprise because of him statistically having a down season other than touchdowns. He still received 2 of a possible 100 votes, however, and may had received even more had he not wen’t AWOL during the final week of the season which ultimately led to him being benched for the home finale. Even Peter King admitted that he pulled his vote for Brown at the last minute because of what happened off the field last week. How many other followed Lord King’s suit at his urging?
Personally, I think Brown should be judged what he did on the field last season, not off of it. On that topic, Brown being one of the best in the game at his position is what helped allow fellow Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to have the great statistical season that he had. I’m not saying Brown should have definitely received All-Pro honors this season, only that he deserved a lot more than just 2 votes.
Moving on from Brown, this year’s AP voting results once again showed that at least a few of the 50 voters don’t watch the Steelers closely and probably haven’t for a few years. In the voting results I have added below, you’ll notice that in addition to DeCastro receiving 7 votes at the right guard position, he also received 2 votes at the left guard position. How is that even possible? DeCastro has played right guard his entire NFL career for the Steelers. On top of that, Ramon Foster played every single offensive snap this season at left guard. Last year, DeCastro received 3 votes at left guard. By the way, DeCastro didn’t give up a sack all season while Zack Martin of the Dallas Cowboys gave up 3. Both players missed two games as well. I’m not saying, I’m just saying.
Speaking of missed games, one of two second-team left tackles this year, Terron Armstead of the New Orleans Saints, only played in 10 games this season due to injuries. How the heck did he deserve 7 of 50 votes when he missed 37.5% of the season?
I think I’ve already made my point when it comes to the ineptitude of several of these AP voters. Before I finish, however, I think it’s silly to have edge players mixed in with linebackers and cornerbacks and safeties mixed into a bland defensive back category. These positions need to be better defined to the AP All-Pro voters and the positions each player played during a season needs defining as well.
In closing, while I dont expect ever voter to have watched all 16 games of all 32 NFL teams during the season like I do, I do expect them to know if a cornerback spent most of his playing time in the slot or a safety playing most of his snaps in a strong role or down in the box. I expect them to be able to infidelity an edge-rusher from an off-the-ball linebacker and I definitively expect them to know if a guard or tackle plays on the right or left side.
Voting breakdown of selections by a national panel of 50 media members:
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City, 45; Drew Brees, New Orleans, 5.
Running Backs
Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams, 25; Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas, 15; Saquon Barkley, New York Giants, 9; Christian McCaffrey, Carolina, 1.
Tight End
Travis Kelce, Kansas City, 21; George Kittle, San Francisco, 18½; Zach Ertz, Philadelphia, 10½.
Wide Receivers
DeAndre Hopkins, Houston, 46; Michael Thomas, New Orleans, 21; Julio Jones, Atlanta, 17; Tyreek Hill, Kansas City, 6; Davante Adams, Green Bay, 4; Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh, 2; Adam Thielen, Minnesota, 2; Mike Evans, Tampa Bay, 1; JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh, 1.
Flex
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City, 22; Christian McCaffrey, Carolina, 8; Saquon Barkley, New York Giants, 6; Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams, 4; Alvin Kamara, New Orleans, 2; DeAndre Hopkins, Houston, 2; Michael Thomas, New Orleans, 2; Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas, 2; Brandin Cooks, Los Angeles Rams, 1; Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco, 1.
Center
Jason Kelce, Philadelphia, 28; Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh, 10; Cody Whitehair Chicago, 3; Max Unger, New Orleans, 3; Mike Pouncey, Los Angeles Chargers, 2; Alex Mack, Atlanta, 2; Rodney Hudson, Oakland, 2.
Left Tackle
David Bakhtiari, Green Bay, 19; Terron Armstead, New Orleans, 7; Duane Brown, Seattle, 7; Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams, 6; Taylor Lewan, Tennessee, 4; Tyron Smith, Dallas, 4; Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore, 2; Alejandro Villanueva, Pittsburgh, 1.
Left Guards
Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis, 31; Joel Bitonio, Cleveland, 12; Rodger Saffold, Los Angeles Rams, 2; Joe Thuney, New England, 2; David DeCastro, Pittsburgh, 2; Andrus Peat, New Orleans, 1.
Right Tackle
Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City, 26; Ryan Ramczyk, New Orleans, 16; Lane Johnson, Philadelphia, 5; Rob Havenstein, Los Angeles Rams, 3.
Right Guard
Zack Martin, Dallas, 23; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore, 14; David DeCastro, Pittsburgh, 7; Shaq Mason, New England, 4; Brandon Brooks, Philadelphia, 2.
DEFENSE
Edge Rushers
Khalil Mack, Chicago, 43; J.J. Watt, Houston, 32; Von Miller, Denver, 12; Cameron Jordan, New Orleans, 3; Danielle Hunter, Minnesota, 3; Myles Garrett, Cleveland, 3; Demarcus Lawrence, Dallas, 2; Dee Ford, Kansas City, 1; Jadeveon Clowney, Houston, 1.
Interior Linemen
Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams, 50; Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia, 19; Chris Jones, Kansas City, 14; J.J. Watt, Houston, 10; Akiem Hicks, Chicago, 4; DeForest Buckner, San Francisco, 2, Jurrell Casey, Tennessee, 1.
Linebackers
Bobby Wagner, Seattle, 49; Luke Kuechly, Carolina, 33; Darius Leonard, Indianapolis, 31; Leighton Vander Esch, Dallas, 13; Von Miller, Denver, 7; C.J. Mosley, Baltimore, 6; Khalil Mack, Chicago, 4; Jaylon Smith, Dallas, 2; Danny Trevathan, Chicago, 1; Anthony Barr, Minnesota, 1; Bernardrick McKinney, Houston, 1; Eric Kendricks, Minnesota, 1; Roquan Smith, Chicago, 1.
Cornerbacks
Kyle Fuller, Chicago, 27; Stephon Gilmore, New England, 26; Byron Jones, Dallas, 17; Xavien Howard, Miami, 12; Patrick Peterson, Arizona, 9; Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville, 4; Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans, 3; Desmond King, Los Angeles Chargers, 2.
Safeties
Eddie Jackson, Chicago, 37; Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers, 27; Jamal Adams, New York Jets, 24; Harrison Smith, Minnesota, 6; Kevin Byard, Tennessee, 3; Eric Weddle, Baltimore, 2; Malcolm Jenkins, Philadelphia, 1.
Defensive Back
Desmond King, Los Angeles Chargers, 16; Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers, 5; Chris Harris Jr., Denver, 4; Bryce Callahan, Chicago, 4; Eddie Jackson, Chicago, 3; Byron Jones, Dallas, 3; Kareem Jackson, Houston, 3; Kyle Fuller, Chicago, 2; Minkah Fitzpatrick, Miami, 2; Jamal Adams, New York Jets, 2; Tyrann Mathieu, Houston, 2; Jaire Alexander, Green Bay, 1; Stephon Gilmore, New England, 1; Kevin Byard, Tennessee, 1; Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville, 1.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker
Justin Tucker, Baltimore, 23; Aldrick Rosas, New York Giants, 14; Robbie Gould, San Francisco, 6; Jason Myers, New York Jets, 4; Wil Lutz, New Orleans, 2; Ka’imi Fairbairn, Houston, 1.
Punter
Michael Dickson, Seattle, 18; Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles Rams, 10; Brett Kern, Tennessee, 9; Thomas Morstead, New Orleans, 5; Andy Lee, Arizona, 5; Tress Way, Washington, 3.
Kick Returner
Andre Roberts, New York Jets, 45; Cordarrelle Patterson, New England, 2; Desmond King, Los Angeles Chargers, 1; Alex Erickson, Cincinnati, 1; Darius Jennings, Tennessee, 1.
Punt Returner
Tarik Cohen, Chicago, 19; Desmond King, Los Angeles Chargers, 12; Andre Roberts, New York Jets, 11; Dwayne Harris, Oakland, 6, Jakeem Grant, Miami, 2.
Special Teamer
Adrian Phillips, Los Angeles Chargers, 16; Cory Littleton, Los Angeles Rams, 15; Tyreek Hill, Kansas City, 6; Dwayne Harris, Oakland, 6; Matthew Slater, New England, 4; Albert McClellan, New England, 1; Johnson Bademosi, Houston, 1; Kevin Pierre-Louis, New York Jets, 1.
