Dynamic defensive star Aaron Donald and unstoppable tight end Travis Kelce were unanimous choices Friday for The Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was selected for the third time, finishing ahead of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes in voting from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Mahomes, last season’s Super Bowl MVP, shared second-team honors with Josh Allen of Buffalo.

Tennessee running back Derrick Henry, who ran for 2,027 yards to win his second consecutive rushing title, was named All-Pro for the first time after leading the AFC South champion Titans to their first division title in 12 years.

“Very consistent, very durable, very impressive,” Coach Mike Vrabel said of the NFL’s first winner of back-to-back rushing titles since Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006-07.

Donald, who has helped the Los Angeles Rams to the top-ranked defense in the NFL, earned his sixth All-Pro selection. It was the third for Kansas City’s record-setting Kelce.

“I think the best display of greatness is making people around you better,” Rams Coach Sean McVay said of Donald. “And that’s exactly what he does, by the way he influences them every single week.”

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Mahomes lauded Kelce for the way he approaches his job.

“For a guy to have that much talent, work that hard and be able to learn really every single day like that, that’s what makes him so special on the field,” Mahomes said.

Donald and Kelce are joined by 15 other players returning to the squad and 14 newcomers. Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner also made his sixth squad.

“The marvelous durability that he’s demonstrated for middle linebacker after all these years is just off the charts,” Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll said.

Kansas City receiver Tyreek Hill is now a three-time All-Pro along with Rodgers, among the favorites to win MVP after guiding the Packers (13-3) to the top seed in the NFC.

Joining Henry as first-time choices among skill players were Buffalo wideout Stefon Diggs, who led the NFL in catches and yards receiving, and Rodgers’ favorite target, Davante Adams.

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“For me, honestly, I think it’s just been finding different small things that I can get better at,” Adams says. “I feel like I’m a pretty complete receiver. … It’s just fine-tuning the things I do well and just figuring out a way to do them even better.”

Diggs was traded by Minnesota to Buffalo in the offseason and made a huge impact as the Bills won their first AFC East title in 25 years.

“For me, it was just in whatever situation I was going to be put in or chosen in, I was just going to embrace,” said Diggs, who finished the regular season with 127 catches for 1,535 yards and eight touchdowns.

The Packers and Colts led all teams with four All-Pros apiece.

Green Bay left tackle David Bakhtiari, who is out for the playoffs after injuring a knee in practice during the final week of the regular season, made it for the second time. Center Corey Linsley was a first-time selection.

Indianapolis has interior lineman DeForest Buckner and linebacker Darius Leonard on the defense, left guard Quenton Nelson on offense, and George Odum as the special teamer. Nelson is a three-time All-Pro, Leonard a double selection, while Buckner and Odum made it for the first time.

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Rounding out the offense are Cleveland right tackle Jack Conklin (second selection), and Washington right guard Brandon Scherff (first).

Also on defense are edge rushers T.J. Watt, the NFL’s sacks leader for Pittsburgh who is on his second All-Pro Team, and newcomer Myles Garrett of Cleveland; San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner (first selection); cornerbacks Xavien Howard (first) of Miami, the league’s interception leader, and Jalen Ramsey (second) of the Rams; and safeties Tyrann Mathieu (third) of Kansas City, Minkah Fitzpatrick of Pittsburgh and Budda Baker of Arizona, both for the second time. There was a tie between Fitzpatrick and Baker for the second safety spot.

The long snapper position is new to the All-Pro Team in 2020, and Baltimore’s Morgan Cox is the choice. Chicago kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson makes it for the fourth time. The rest of the special teams positions are newcomers: Miami kicker Jason Sanders, New England punter Jake Bailey and punt returner Gunner Olszewski.

In all, 18 players represent the AFC, which is considered the stronger conference this season, and 11 for the NFC. Exactly half of the 32 clubs have a 2020 All-Pro.

BROWNS: After being unable to practice for two days because of COVID-19 testing and protocols, Cleveland got permission from medical experts and the NFL to get on the field for the first time this week in advance of Sunday’s wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The team resumed activities at its training facility, which has been closed since Tuesday when Coach Kevin Stefanski tested positive for COVID-19 along with Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio and three others.

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“That’s much better than being on these Zoom calls,” said Stefanski, who won’t coach Sunday’s game because league rules state anyone testing positive with the virus must isolate for 10 days. “They’re excited to get out there.”

Stefanski, who will be replaced by special teams coordinator Mike Priefer, opened his news conference with a rundown of Cleveland’s injury list, which includes star defensive end Myles Garrett and right tackle Jack Conklin.

Garrett is questionable because of a shoulder issue, but Stefanski said he’s confident the edge rusher will play, along with stout defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (neck).

Conklin is out because of an “illness,” and Stefanski did not say whether Conklin is experiencing COVID-like symptoms.

BEARS: Chicago might have to get by without some important players in its wild-card game against the New Orleans Saints, after leading tackler Roquan Smith and rookie receiver Darnell Mooney missed practices all week because of injuries.

Both are listed as questionable for Sunday, as ia cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

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Smith (left elbow) was hurt on Green Bay’s first possession last week, while Mooney (ankle) exited in the fourth quarter of Chicago’s loss to the Packers.

SAINTS: New Orleans has ruled out sack leader Trey Hendrickson and offensive guard Nick Easton for Sunday’s game against Chicago.

Hendrickson had career-high 13 sacks this season, which tied for second in the NFL. But he missed practice late this week because of a nagging neck injury that also sidelined him from New Orleans’ penultimate regular season game.

Easton has concussion symptoms. He has started nine games this season. First-round draft choice Cesar Ruiz is likely to start in his place at right guard.

COWBOYS: Dallas fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan after its defense allowed a franchise record in points and finished 31st in the NFL against the run in his only season, the team announced.

Coach Mike McCarthy hired Nolan from New Orleans, where he was coaching linebackers, when McCarthy replaced Jason Garrett a year ago.

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Dallas also fired defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.

PACKERS: The team is making about 6,000 tickets available to season-ticket holders for its divisional playoff game next weekend, which will mark the first time Green Bay will have paying spectators at home this season.

Packers officials say seats will be arranged in socially distanced pods of two, four and six tickets throughout Lambeau Field. They’ll be available to season-ticker holders who didn’t opt out of the opportunity to purchase tickets this season.

The Packers hadn’t allowed any spectators for their first four regular-season home games. In late November, they made seating available to team employees and their immediate family members to test out safety protocols in case paying spectators were allowed later in the season. The last two home games also featured hundreds of frontline workers who were invited to attend.

Fans will have to stay in their pods unless they’re using the rest room or purchasing food or drinks. Tailgating in the parking lot is prohibited. Spectators must wear face coverings at all times.


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