Ashburn, Va. – The Washington Redskins announced today that running back Alfred Morris will be playing in the 2015 Pro Bowl, replacing Philadelphia Eagles RB LeSean McCoy in the game. Morris had already been chosen as an alternate for the contest and, with McCoy having been injured in the Eagles’ last game this year and deciding to pull out, Morris will represent. The Pro Bowl takes place Sunday, January 25 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona. This will be the second time Morris has appeared in the Pro Bowl. Washington left tackle Trent Williams will join Morris as another of the team’s Pro Bowl representatives.
Morris becomes the first Redskins running back selected to consecutive Pro Bowls since Stephen Davis (1999 and 2000) and he is also the team’s 12th running back to go to that All-Star game since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Hall of Fame rusher Larry Brown had three appearances and there were two each by Earnest Byner in addition to Davis and Morris. Also Mike Thomas, Terry Allen and Clinton Portis each went to the Pro Bowl once.
In 2014, Morris rushed for 1,074 rushing yards on 265 carries, becoming the first player in team history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. That doesn’t mean this past one was a great year for him, however. New Redskins head coach Jay Gruden is said to prefer more of a power running game over the past zone rushing scheme that former head coach Mike Shanahan, and his son former offensive coordinator Kyle, liked. But Morris is a down hill runner and shows every sign that he could excel in Gruden’s system.
Morris is only the fourth player in Redskins history to post three career 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Redskins. Before the Florida Atlantic product gained these huge amounts of yards in his first three seasons with the franchise, Portis had four 1,000-yard years; Super Bowl legend John Riggins had four and Davis had three 1,000-yard rushing seasons of their own. Morris’ 3,962 rushing yards since 2012 are second-most in the NFL and the 13th most by any NFL player in his first three NFL seasons.
With the Redskins’ selections of Morris and Williams this year, the team has had at least one Pro Bowl player for 21 straight seasons. The only year Washington has not had a Pro Bowler in team history was 1993.
Hail.