Maurkice Pouncey Named to Pro Bowl
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 | Football
Former Gator Great Maurkice Pouncey (Lakeland, Fla.) was selected to the 2012 Pro Bowl roster, the NFL announced on Tuesday. Pouncey, who earned Pro Bowl accolades for a second consecutive year, will earn his first-career Pro Bowl start as he was selected as the starting center for the AFC squad.
Pouncey continues a strong Gator legacy in the Pro Bowl as 20 Gators have earned 57 appearances in the 42 year history of the event. Since the inaugural Pro Bowl in 1970, a Gator has represented either the AFC or NFC in 35 of the 42 years. Since the 1990 season, UF has seen a player don a Pro Bowl jersey in all but three seasons.
Pouncey, who became the first Gator in history to win the Rimington Trophy as the nation's best center in 2009, is the 20th former Gator to earn a spot on a Pro Bowl roster. He is the first Gator to make the roster as a center, while joining former Gator legend and seven-time Pro Bowler Lomas Brown as the only two UF offensive linemen to be selected to the game.
The anchor of the Steelers offensive line, Pouncey, has started 13 games this season but has missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Last year, he was the first Steelers rookie offensive lineman to make the Pro Bowl since offensive tackle Frank Varrichione in 1956 and the first Steelers rookie since linebacker Kendrell Bell in 2002.
The 2012 Pro Bowl will take place on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
