Vikings kickoff return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson has been named All-Pro by the Associated Press for the second time in his four-season career.
Patterson led the NFL in kickoff return average, posting 31.7 per runback, for the third time in his career and had already been named to his second Pro Bowl. He also returned a kickoff 104 yards for a touchdown to start the second half against Arizona.
He also contributed as a gunner on special teams, pressuring punt returners into mistakes and downing other punts inside the 20. Patterson also recorded a career-high 52 receptions on offense.
The 2016 NFL All-Pro Team was selected by a panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who regularly cover the NFL. This team marked the first time that the panel voted for specific positions on the offensive line, a flex player on offense, a fifth defensive back, a punt returner and a special teamer.
Patterson received more than 80 percent of the votes cast for kickoff returner.
Other Vikings who received votes were: edge rushers Danielle Hunter (2) and Everson Griffen (1), cornerback Xavier Rhodes (5), who also received two votes in the defensive back category, and safety Harrison Smith (3).
2016 AP NFL All-Pro Team
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Matt Ryan, Atlanta
Running Back — Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas
Flex — David Johnson, Arizona
Tight End — Travis Kelce, Kansas City
Wide Receivers — Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh; Julio Jones, Atlanta
Left Tackle — Tyron Smith, Dallas
Right Tackle — Travis Conklin, Tennessee
Left Guard — Kelechi Osemele, Oakland
Right Guard — Zack Martin, Dallas
Center — Travis Frederick, Dallas
DEFENSE
Edge Rushers — Khalil Mack, Oakland; Vic Beasley, Jr., Atlanta
Interior Linemen — Aaron Donald, Los Angeles; Damon Harrison, New York Giants
Linebackers — Von Miller, Denver; Bobby Wagner, Seattle; Sean Lee, Dallas
Cornerbacks — Aqib Talib, Denver; Marcus Peters, Kansas City
Safeties — Landon Collins, New York Giants; Eric Berry, Kansas City
Defensive Back — Chris Harris, Jr., Denver
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker — Justin Tucker, Baltimore
Punter — Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles
Kick Returner — Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota
Punt Returner — Tyreek Hill, Kansas City
Special Teamer — Matthew Slater, New England
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback—Tom Brady, New England
Running Back — David Johnson, Arizona
Flex — Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh
Tight End — Greg Olsen, Carolina
Wide Receivers — Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants; Mike Evans, Tampa Bay
Left Tackle — David Bakhtiari, Green Bay
Right Tackle — Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City, and Marcus Cannon, New England
Left Guard — Marshal Yanda, Baltimore
Right Guard — David DeCastro, Pittsburgh
Center — Alex Mack, Atlanta
DEFENSE
Edge Rushers — Jadeveon Clowney, Houston; Cameron Wake, Miami, Olivier Vernon, New York Giants, and Brandon Graham, Philadelphia
Interior Linemen — Ndamukong Suh, Miami; Calais Campbell, Arizona, and Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay
Linebackers — Lorenzo Alexander, Buffalo; Luke Kuechly, Carolina; Lavonte David, Tampa Bay, C.J. Mosley, Baltimore, Zach Brown, Buffalo, Zachary Orr, Baltimore, Alec Ogletree, Los Angeles, Dont'a Hightower, New England, Whitney Mercilus, Houston, and Bernardick McKinney, Houston
Cornerbacks — Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants; Casey Hayward, San Diego, and Malcolm Butler, New England
Safeties — Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay; Devin McCourty, New England.
Defensive Back — Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, New York Giants
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker — None.
Punter — Marquette King, Oakland
Kick Returner — Tyler Lockett, Seattle
Punt Returner — None.
Special Teamer — Nate Ebner, New England
Voting (reported by***USA TODAY***)
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Matt Ryan, Atlanta, 29; Tom Brady, New England, 15; Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay, 5; Derek Carr, Oakland, 1
Running Backs
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas, 47; David Johnson, Arizona, 3
Tight End
Travis Kelce, Kansas City, 44; Greg Olsen, Carolina, 5; Rob Gronkowski, New England, 1
Wide Receivers
Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh, 43; Julio Jones, Atlanta, 30; Odell Beckham, Jr., New York Giants, 16; Mike Evans, Tampa Bay, 6; Jordy Nelson, Green Bay 5
Flex
David Johnson, Arizona, 24; Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh, 18; Odell Beckham, Jr., New York Giants, 3; Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh, 1; Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona, 1; LeSean McCoy, Buffalo, 1; Jarvis Landry, Miami, 1; Travis Kelce, Kansas City, 1
Left Tackle
Tyron Smith, Dallas, 27; David Bakhtiari, Green Bay, 8; Joe Thomas, Cleveland, 7; Trent Williams, Washington, 3; Jason Peters, Philadelphia, 2; Taylor Lewan, Tennessee, 1; Donald Penn, Oakland, 1; Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati, 1
Right Tackle
Jack Conklin, Tennessee, 27 1-2; Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City, 6; Marcus Cannon, New England, 6; Bryan Bulaga, Green Bay, 5 1-2; Zach Strief, New Orleans, 2; Ryan Schraeder, Atlanta, 2; Marcus Gilbert, Pittsburgh, 1
Left Guards
Kelechi Osemele, Oakland, 47; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore, 2; James Carpenter, New York Jets, 1
Right Guard
Zack Martin, Dallas, 40; David DeCastro, Pittsburgh, 5; Marshal Yanda, Baltimore, 4; Kevin Zeitler, Cincinnati, 1
Center
Travis Frederick, Dallas, 29; Alex Mack, Atlanta, 14; Rodney Hudson, Oakland, 5; Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh, 1, Brandon Linder, Jacksonville, 1
DEFENSE
Edge Rushers
Khalil Mack, Oakland, 46; Vic Beasley Jr., Atlanta, 30; Cameron Wake, Miami, 3; Olivier Vernon, Miami, 3; Jadeveon Clowney, Houston, 3; Brandon Graham, Philadelphia, 3; Michael Bennett, Seattle, 2; Cameron Jordan, New Orleans, 2; Danielle Hunter, Minnesota, 2; Cliff Avril, Seattle, 2; Everson Griffen, Minnesota, 1; Joey Bosa, San Diego, 1
Interior Linemen
Aaron Donald, St. Louis, 47; Damon Harrison, New York Giants 16; Ndamukong Suh, Miami, 12; Calais Campbell, Arizona, 7; Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay, 7; Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia, 6; Geno Atkins, Cincinnati, 5
Linebackers
Bobby Wagner, Seattle, 48; Von Miller, Denver, 47; Sean Lee, Dallas, 41; Lorenzo Alexander, Buffalo, 4; Luke Kuechly, Carolina, 2; C.J. Mosley, Baltimore, 1; Zach Brown, Buffalo, 1; Zachary Orr, Baltimore, 1; Alec Ogletree, Los Angeles, 1; Dont'a Hightower, New England, 1; Benardrick McKinney, Houston, 1; Lavonte David, Tampa Bay, 1; Whitney Mercilus, Houston, 1
Cornerbacks
Aqib Talib, Denver, 27; Marcus Peters, Kansas City, 23; Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants, 17; Malcolm Butler, New England, 8; Casey Hayward, San Diego, 8; Richard Sherman, Seattle, 7; Xavier Rhodes, Minnesota, 5; Chris Harris Jr., Denver, 4; Dominique-Rodgers-Cromartie, New York Giants, 1
Safeties
Landon Collins, New York Giants, 47; Eric Berry, Kansas City, 31; Devin McCourty, New England, 4; Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay, 4; Earl Thomas, Seattle, 3; Harrison Smith, Minnesota, 3; Reggie Nelson, Cincinnati, 2; Kam Chancellor, Seattle, 2; Malcolm Jenkins, Philadelphia, 1; Eric Weddle, Baltimore, 1; Quintin Demps, Houston, 1; Darian Stewart, Denver, 1
Defensive Back
Chris Harris Jr., Denver, 14; Dominique-Rodgers-Cromartie, New York Giants, 6; Malcolm Butler, New England, 5; Eric Berry, Kansas City, 3; Casey Hayward, San Diego, 3; Malcolm Jenkins, Philadelphia, 3; Patrick Peterson, Arizona, 2; Marcus Peters, Kansas City, 2; Xavier Rhodes, Minnesota, 2; Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay, 2; Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants, 2; Aqib Talib, Denver, 1; Darius Slay, Detroit, 1; Devin McCourty, New England, 1; Brent Grimes, Tampa Bay, 1; Richard Sherman, Seattle, 1; Eric Weddle, San Diego, 1
SPECIAL TEAMS
Placekicker
Justin Tucker, Baltimore, 50
Punter
Johnny Hekker, Los Angeles, 42; Marquette King, Oakland, 4; Pat McAfee, Indianapolis, 2; Brad Wing, New York Giants, 1; Sam Martin, Detroit, 1
Kick Returner
Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota, 41; Tyler Lockett, Seattle, 5; Tyreek Hill, Kansas City, 5
Punt Returner
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City, 50
Special Teamer
Matthew Slater, New England, 14; Nate Ebner, New England, 12; Dwayne Harris, New York Giants, 6; Justin Bethel, Arizona, 3; Matt Develin, New England, 3; Michael Thomas, Miami, 3; Chase Reynolds, Los Angeles, 3; Eric Murray, Kansas City, 2; Chris Maragos, Philadelphia, 1; Eric Weems, Atlanta, 1; Josh Bellamy, Chicago, 1
