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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – ** A league-leading nine Broncos players were selected to the 2015 Pro Bowl, the league announced on Tuesday.
This ties the second-most selections in franchise history, matching 1996 and exceeded by ten selections in 1998.
Quarterback Peyton Manning earned his 14th-career selection, tying Bruce Matthews for most all-time Pro Bowl selections. Demaryius Thomas was selected to his third-straight Pro Bowl after racking up nine 100-yard games on the season, setting a single-season team record.
Tackle Ryan Clady and tight end Julius Thomas joined Thomas and Manning on the offensive side of the ball. Despite missing time due to an injury, Thomas has 12 touchdown catches on the season, tied for most among tight ends. Clady has started every game for the Broncos and helped the Broncos sit at No. 1 in the NFL in sacks per pass attempt.
All three of the Broncos' major offseason defensive acquisitions – cornerback Aqib Talib, defensive end DeMarcus Ware and safety T.J. Ward -- earned Pro Bowl honors. Two Broncos that are in their first season back after tearing their ACLs last year, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. and linebacker Von Miller, were also selected. This is Harris' first selection and Miller's third after earning selections in his first two NFL seasons.
The Pro Bowl will be played on Jan. 25, 2015 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona at 6 p.m. MT.
See below for more on this year's Broncos Pro Bowlers:
| Pos. | Player | Selection No. | ||
| QB | Peyton Manning | 14 | ||
| DE | DeMarcus Ware | 8 | ||
| OT | Ryan Clady | 4 | ||
| LB | Von Miller | 3 | ||
| WR | Demaryius Thomas | 3 | ||
| CB | Aqib Talib | 2 | ||
| TE | Julius Thomas | 2 | ||
| S | T.J. Ward | 2 | ||
| CB | Chris Harris Jr. | 1 | ||
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Check out the best photos of the Broncos' five Pro Bowlers on defense.
OFFENSE**
Peyton Manning
Career Pro Bowl Selections: 14
2014 Stats: 374-of-560 for 4,454 yards with 39 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and a QB rating of 102.9.
Notable: He currently leads the league with 39 touchdown passes. In Week 7, Manning broke Brett Favre's all-time touchdown pass record with his 509th career TD. He is fourth in the NFL in completions, yards, average gain per pass and rating. With 4,454 passing yards, this is Manning's 14th season with more than 4,000 passing yards.
Demaryius Thomas
Career Pro Bowl Selections: 3
2014 Stats: 103 catches, 1,504 yards and 11 touchdowns
Notable: This is Thomas' third consecutive Pro Bowl selection. He joins Marvin Harrison and Jerry Rice as the only players in league history to have three consecutive seasons with at least 1,400 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. This season he has already totaled the third-most catches and the second-most receiving yards in Broncos history during a single year. Thomas is in the top five in the league in receptions (No. 2 with 103) and yards (No. 3 with 1,504), and ranks seventh with 11 receiving TDs.
Julius Thomas
Career Pro Bowl Selections: 2
2014 Stats: 43 catches for 489 yards and 12 touchdowns
Notable: This is Thomas' second-consecutive Pro Bowl nod. Despite missing almost four full games due to an ankle injury, Thomas is still tied for third in the NFL with 12 touchdown catches. He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week following a three-touchdown performance against the Colts in Week 1. With his 12 TDs, he has matched the career-high he set last season.
Ryan Clady
Career Pro Bowl Selections: 4
2014 Stats: 15 games played, 15 games started
Notable: Clady has helped the Broncos sit at No. 1 in the NFL in sacks per attempt, with the line allowing a league-low 16 sacks.
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Check out the best photos of the Broncos' five Pro Bowlers on defense.
DEFENSE**
Aqib Talib
Career Pro Bowl Selections: 2
2014 Stats: 59 total tackles,* *17 passes defensed, 4 interceptions
Notable: In his first season with the Broncos, Aqib Talib has taken on a significant role. Against the Chargers, he led the team with eight tackles (seven solo) and an interception while tying a season high with three passes defensed. He also had the game-sealing interception against the Jets in Week 6. Talib is tied for the second-most interceptions (27) by a cornerback in the NFL since he debuted in the league in 2008.
Chris Harris Jr.
Career Pro Bowl Selections: 1
2014 Stats: 53 total tackles, one sack, 16 passes defensed, 3 interceptions
Notable: Pro Football Focus ranks Harris as the No. 1 corner in the NFL. The fourth-year player has played lights out this season, often mirroring top receivers. He has helped the Broncos sit at No. 1 in the NFL in passing yards per play. Harris and Talib rank second and fourth, respectively, in opponent quarterback rating when targeting them defensively, according to Pro Football Focus. Harris is one of just five NFL players to record three or more interceptions in each of the last three seasons.
Von Miller
Career Pro Bowl Selections: 3
2014 Stats: 55 total tackles, 13 sacks, two passes defensed
Notable: Miller was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month in October following a four-game stretch where he had seven sacks and 15 quarterback hits. The Broncos are No. 2 in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game and No. 5 in rushing yards per play.
T.J. Ward
Career Pro Bowl Selections: 2
2014 Stats: 74 total tackles, two sacks, six passes defensed, two interceptions
Notable: With his second sack of the season coming against Kansas City, he became the first* *Broncos safety since Brian Dawkins in 2011 to post multiple sacks in a season. This is Ward's second-consecutive selection and he is second on the team with 74 tackles.
DeMarcus Ware
Career Pro Bowl Selections: 8
2014 Stats: 38 total tackles, 10 sacks, 1 pass defensed and one interception
Notable: After a 2013 campaign with the Cowboys where he had a career-low six sacks, Ware has bounced back this year and been harassing quarterbacks all season. According to Pro Football Focus, he has 12 QB hits and 28 QB hurries. The Cowboys' franchise sack leader is seventh amongst defensive ends in sacks this season.
