The New Orleans Saints placed five players on the 2014 Pro Bowl squad announced by the NFL on Friday - quarterback Drew Brees, tight end Jimmy Graham, defensive end Cameron Jordan and guards Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs.
It is Brees' eighth Pro Bowl selection and his seventh as a member of the Saints. Only Pro Football Hall of Fame tackle William Roaf(seven), has been selected to the Pro Bowl as many times in franchise record books. Brees' six consecutive selections rank second in club records behind Roaf's seven.
Brees, 6 feet, 209 pounds, is in his 13th NFL season and eighth with the Saints. In 2013, he has started all 15 games and completed 422-of-619 passes (68.2 percent) for 4,781 yards with 35 touchdown passes and a 101.8 passer rating. Through 15 games, he is ranked second in the NFL in attempts, completions, completion percentage, passing yardage and touchdown passes.
In his 13-year NFL career, the Purdue product, who originally entered the NFL as a second round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers in 2001, before signing with the Saints as an unrestricted free agent in 2006, has played in 185 games (184 starts) and has completed 4,457 of 6,768 passes (65.9 percent) for 50,700 yards, 359 touchdown passes and a 95.0 passer rating. He's the NFL's all-time second-most accurate passer, is ranked fourth in completions, fourth in touchdown passes, seventh in passer rating and fifth in passing yardage.
Evans, originally a fourth-round pick of the Saints in 2006 out of Bloomsburg, has earned his fifth consecutive All-Star berth. Evans' five selections are ranked second in franchise history among offensive linemen behind Roaf's seven. Evans has opened 125 contests at right guard for New Orleans and started 13 games in 2013 for the NFL's fifth-ranked offense.
Graham earned his second career Pro Bowl selection in the midst of one of the most stellar receiving seasons for a tight end in NFL history. Appearing in all 15 games, he leads the team in receiving with 81 receptions for 1,144 yards (14.1 avg.) with a club-record 15 touchdowns, the second-highest scoring grab total for a tight end in NFL record books and the highest receiving touchdown total in the NFL overall. In his four-year career, Graham has totaled 296 catches for 2,792 yards (12.8 avg.) with 40 touchdowns to rank sixth in club record books in receiving, eighth in receiving yardage and fourth in touchdown grabs.
Jordan has been selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career on the heels of a breakout third campaign where he has posted 63 tackles (30 solo), a team-leading 12.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four pass defenses. The former University of California standout, who was the club's first draft choice in 2011 is ranked fourth in the NFL in quarterback takedowns and tied for fourth in defensive fumble recoveries.
Grubbs, in his seventh NFL season out of Auburn, has started 31 consecutive games for the Saints after signing as a free agent from the Baltimore Ravens, who selected the 6-3, 310-pounder in the first round of the 2007 draft. He was a 2011 Pro Bowl selection with the Ravens.
The 2014 Pro Bowl will be played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 5 p.m. and broadcast on NBC.
