CHARLOTTE -- Friday afternoon, linebacker Jon Beason became the team's fourth Pro Bowler when he was added to the NFC roster after 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis pulled out with a knee injury.
With over 30 players withdrawing from Sunday's Pro Bowl because of injuries or their participation in Super Bowl XLIV, the Panthers' complement of All-Stars has doubled this week.
Beason joins center
There was a legitimate argument for Beason to have been included all along. He finished the season with a Panthers-record 169 total tackles, surpassing the standard he set as a rookie in 2007. His tackle tallies the last three years are the three best single-season figures in franchise annals.
Making Beason's play all the more impressive was his ability to remain a vital playmaker in spite of injuries around him, particuarly the season-ending absences of tackle
Beason matches Kevin Greene for the franchise record for Pro Bowl appearances by a linebacker and is one of seven Panthers linebackers to make the all-star game.
The Panthers have now had at least four Pro Bowlers in six of the last seven seasons.
| | |
| YEAR | PLAYERS |
| 2010 | LB Jon Beason, C Ryan Kalil, DE Julius Peppers, RB DeAngelo Williams |
| 2009 | LB Jon Beason, OT |
| 2008 | None |
| 2007 | DT Kris Jenkins, DE Julius Peppers, WR Steve Smith |
| 2006 | QB |
| 2005 | LB Mark Fields, LB Dan Morgan, WR |
| 2004 | RB Stephen Davis, DT Kris Jenkins, DE Mike Rucker, P Todd Sauerbrun |
| 2003 | DT Kris Jenkins, P Todd Sauerbrun |
| 2002 | P Todd Sauerbrun, KR Steve Smith |
| 2001 | ST Michael Bates |
| 2000 | ST Michael Bates, QB Steve Beuerlein, WR Muhsin Muhammad, TE Wesley Walls |
| 1999 | ST Michael Bates, LB Kevin Greene, TE Wesley Walls |
| 1998 | KR Michael Bates, TE Wesley Walls |
| 1997 | KR Michael Bates, QB Kerry Collins, CB Eric Davis, LB Kevin Greene, K |
| 1995 | None |
* Note: Year indicates when the Pro Bowl was played; the corresponding season would be one year earlier.
