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1976 Pro Bowl

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1976 NFL Pro Bowl
DateJanuary 26, 1976
StadiumLouisiana Superdome,
New Orleans, Louisiana
MVPBilly Johnson (Houston Oilers)
RefereeFred Silva
Attendance32,108
TV in the United States
NetworkABC
AnnouncersFrank Gifford, Howard Cosell,
and Alex Karras

The 1976 Pro Bowl was the NFL's 26th annual all-star game which featured the outstanding performers from the 1975 season. The game was played on Monday night, January 26, 1976, at the new Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana,[1] with 32,108 in attendance.[2][3] The final score was NFC 23, AFC 20. It was also the first Pro Bowl game played indoors.

The game featured the best players in the National Football League as selected by the league's coaches. John Madden of the Oakland Raiders led the AFC team against an NFC team led by Los Angeles Rams head coach Chuck Knox.[4]

The AFC's Billy "White Shoes" Johnson was named the game's MVP on the strength of a 90-yard punt return touchdown and a second punt return of 55 yards that set up a field goal.[2][5] The referee was Fred Silva.[6]

Players on the winning NFC team received $2,000 apiece while the AFC participants each took home $1,500.[7]

Rosters

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The 40-man Pro Bowl squads consisted of the following players:[8][9]

Offense

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Position AFC NFC
Quarterback Terry BradshawPittsburgh[a][10]
Ken AndersonCincinnati
Dan PastoriniHouston[b]
Fran TarkentonMinnesota[a]
Jim HartSt. Louis
Roger StaubachDallas[b][a]
Mike BorylaPhiladelphia
Running back O. J. SimpsonBuffalo
Franco Harris – Pittsburgh
Lydell MitchellBaltimore
John RigginsNY Jets
Chuck Foreman – Minnesota
Terry Metcalf – St. Louis
Lawrence McCutcheonLos Angeles
Jim Otis – St. Louis
Wide receiver Lynn Swann – Pittsburgh
Isaac Curtis – Cincinnati
Cliff BranchOakland
Ken Burrough – Houston
Mel Gray – St. Louis
John Gilliam –Minnesota
Harold Jackson – Los Angeles
Charley TaylorWashington
Tight end Riley OdomsDenver
Rich Caster – NY Jets
Charle Young – Philadelphia
Charlie SandersDetroit
Tackle Art Shell – Oakland
George Kunz – Baltimore
Russ WashingtonSan Diego
Ron Yary – Minnesota
Dan Dierdorf – St. Louis
Rayfield Wright – Dallas
Guard Bob KuechenbergMiami
Gene Upshaw – Oakland
Joe DeLamielleure – Buffalo
Ed White – Minnesota
Conrad Dobler – St. Louis
Tom Mack – Los Angeles
Center Jim Langer – Miami
Jack RudnayKansas City
Tom Banks – St. Louis
Jeff Van NoteAtlanta

Defense

[edit]
Position AFC NFC
Defensive end John Dutton – Baltimore
L. C. Greenwood – Pittsburgh
Elvin Bethea – Houston
Jack Youngblood – Los Angeles
Cedrick HardmanSan Francisco
Fred Dryer – Los Angeles
Defensive tackle Jerry SherkCleveland
Joe Greene – Pittsburgh
Curley Culp – Houston
Alan Page – Minnesota
Merlin Olsen – Los Angeles
Wally ChambersChicago
Middle linebacker Willie Lanier – Kansas City[a]
Jack Lambert – Pittsburgh
Randy Gradishar – Denver[b]
Jeff Siemon – Minnesota
Jack Reynolds – Los Angeles
Outside linebacker Andy Russell – Pittsburgh
Jack Ham – Pittsburgh
Phil Villapiano – Oakland
Chris Hanburger – Washington
Isiah Robertson – Los Angeles
Fred CarrGreen Bay
Cornerback Mel Blount – Pittsburgh
Lemar Parrish – Cincinnati
Emmitt Thomas – Kansas City
Roger Wehrli – St. Louis
Lem Barney – Detroit
Bobby Bryant – Minnesota
Safety Mike Wagner – Pittsburgh
Jake Scott – Miami
Jack Tatum –Oakland[a]
Glen Edwards – Pittsburgh[b][10]
Cliff Harris – Dallas
Ken Houston – Washington
Paul Krause – Minnesota

Special teams

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Position AFC NFC
Kicker Jan Stenerud – Kansas City Jim Bakken – St. Louis
Punter Ray Guy – Oakland John James – Atlanta
Return specialist Billy Johnson – Houston Steve Odom – Green Bay

Roster Notes:

bold denotes player who participated in game
a Injured player; selected but did not play
b Replacement selection due to injury or vacancy

Number of selections by team

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Note: these numbers include players selected to the team but unable to play as well as replacements for these injured players, so there are more than 40 players in each conference.

AFC Team Selections
Pittsburgh Steelers 11
Oakland Raiders 6
Houston Oilers 5
Kansas City Chiefs 4
Baltimore Colts 3
Cincinnati Bengals 3
Miami Dolphins 3
Buffalo Bills 2
Denver Broncos 2
New York Jets 2
Cleveland Browns 1
San Diego Chargers 1
New England Patriots
NFC Team Selections
Minnesota Vikings 9
St. Louis Cardinals 9
Los Angeles Rams 8
Dallas Cowboys 3
Washington Redskins 3
Atlanta Falcons 2
Detroit Lions 2
Green Bay Packers 2
Philadelphia Eagles 2
Chicago Bears 1
San Francisco 49ers 1
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants

References

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  1. ^ "Pro Bowl fun closes '75 season". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. January 26, 1976. p. 3C.
  2. ^ a b "NFC turns to home cookin' to hand AFC 23-20 loss". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 27, 1976. p. 2B.
  3. ^ "1976 Pro Bowl game book" (PDF). NFL Game Statistics & Information. National Football League. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
  4. ^ "Franco, O. J. give AC TD Edge in Pro Bowl". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. AP. January 26, 1976. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  5. ^ "Boryla Passes Nip AFC". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. AP. January 27, 1976. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  6. ^ "Pro Bowl Proves Ray Guy Can Really Punt". The Union Democrat. UPI. January 27, 1976. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  7. ^ "NFL Pro Bowl history". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2012.
  8. ^ "10 Steelers in Pro Bowl". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 25, 1975. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  9. ^ "1976 Pro Bowl players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  10. ^ a b "Steelers Everywhere in Pro Bowl Clash". Pittsburgh Press. January 25, 1976. Retrieved January 6, 2012.