Calvin Johnson Named To NFL All-Pro Team

The Associated Press' 2011 NFL All-Pro Team was announced today. Calvin Johnson, the only Detroit Lions player on the team, received 49 of the 50 votes, meaning he came up just short of being a unanimous selection. Even so, he, along with Jared Allen, received the most votes of all the players on the All-Pro Team, and he was thrilled to be selected.

"That’s sweet," Johnson said. "That’s one of the best honors you can have other than being a Super Bowl champion. To be an All-Pro is a tremendous honor."

As Tim Twentyman noted, Johnson is the Lions' first offensive player to be selected to the All-Pro Team since Barry Sanders and Herman Moore were on it in 1997. He is the second Lions player to be on it in the last two seasons, as Ndamukong Suh was named an All-Pro a year ago. This year, Suh received only one vote.

One other interesting thing worth noting is that the guards on the All-Pro Team are New Orleans' Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans. Not since 1953 has one team had two guards on the All-Pro Team. Interestingly enough, it was the Lions' Lou Creekmur and Dick Stanfel who pulled off that feat in '53.