Bobby Wagner, who finished the 2016 regular season with an NFL-leading and franchise-record 167 tackles, has been voted to the Associated Press All-Pro first team. Receiver Tyler Lockett was named to the second team as a kick returner.
The AP's announcement came Friday morning, the day before the Seahawks square off against the Detroit Lions in the Wild Card round of the NFC playoffs at Seattle's CenturyLink Field.
"It still means a ton, still means a ton," Wagner, who was voted first-team All-Pro in 2014 and second-team All-Pro in 2015, told the Associated Press. "Those things are hard to come by. I will always be appreciative of the Pro Bowls and All-Pros because you look at guys who have played a long period of time at a very high level and weren't able to get them for whatever reason. It definitely means a lot to me. It means the hard work in the offseason is recognized."
Lockett, who is on injured reserve after breaking his tibia and fibula in Seattle's Week 16 loss to Arizona, was the first-team All-Pro return man as a rookie.
Wagner, who also earned Pro-Bowl honors this year for the third straight season, wrapped up the best season of his career with 12 tackles and two sacks in Seattle's Week 17 win over San Francisco, and this season he became the first Seahawks player to lead the NFL in tackles.
"He has had great games one after another after another after another all season long," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after Sunday's game. "Nobody has played better football anywhere that I have seen in this league. He has just been such a stellar part of what we're doing, and he put the numbers up week in and week out, and he has been a great leader for us."
Defensive end Michael Bennett added, "Bobby is one of the best players in the NFL. He's one of the top five players in the NFL."
Wagner is one of three current Seahawks with multiple first-team All-Pro selections on his résumé along with Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman, who both earned first-team honors three straight seasons from 2012 to 2014. Sherman, who was a second-teamer last season, and Thomas, who was named to the second-team in 2011, were two of five Seahawks who just missed second-team honors this season. Sherman, Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Bennett and Cliff Avril all missed being named second-team All-Pro by either one or two votes.
