Ever wonder what percentage of Super Bowl champions had a Pro Bowl quarterback? Can you get by without a star-studded secondary? The table below shows the number of Pro Bowlers made at each position for each Super Bowl champion.

As it turns out, 30 of 47 Super Bowl champions saw their quarterback made the Pro Bowl. That doesn’t include the 2012 Ravens, as Joe Flacco was not a Pro Bowl selection, but it does include the ’69 Chiefs, the only team with two quarterbacks to make the Pro Bowl (Len Dawson and Mike Livingston). The Ravens did have two Pro Bowl running backs, though (Ray Rice and Vonta Leach), joining the ’93 Cowboys (Emmitt Smith, Daryl Johnston) and the ’72 and ’73 Dolphins (Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris) as the only Super Bowl champs with multiple Pro Bowl running backs.

Arguably the least represented position is cornerback, which might be relevant to yesterday’s post: the average Super Bowl champion had just 0.45 Pro Bowl cornerbacks, the lowest average among positions that always have multiple starters (as opposed to defensive tackles or inside linebackers). Both Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams made the Pro Bowl for the 2010 Packers, but eight of the last nine Super Bowl champions failed to place a single cornerback in the Pro Bowl in that season. The full table, below:





Year Tm QB RB WR TE T G C DT DE ILB OLB CB S K P ST Tot Avg 0.66 0.62 0.57 0.23 0.49 0.45 0.34 0.43 0.6 0.36 0.51 0.45 0.79 0.23 0.11 6.96 2012 BAL 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 2011 NYG 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2010 GNB 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 6 2009 NOR 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 7 2008 PIT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 2007 NYG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2006 IND 1 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 2005 PIT 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 5 2004 NWE 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 6 2003 NWE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 2002 TAM 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 7 2001 NWE 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 4 2000 BAL 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 5 1999 STL 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 6 1998 DEN 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 10 1997 DEN 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1996 GNB 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 1995 DAL 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 10 1994 SFO 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 10 1993 DAL 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 11 1992 DAL 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1991 WAS 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 8 1990 NYG 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 7 1989 SFO 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 1988 SFO 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 6 1987 WAS 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 1986 NYG 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 8 1985 CHI 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 9 1984 SFO 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 10 1983 RAI 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 1 8 1982 WAS 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 5 1981 SFO 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 6 1980 OAK 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 5 1979 PIT 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 10 1978 PIT 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 10 1977 DAL 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 8 1976 OAK 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 7 1975 PIT 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 1 2 0 0 0 11 1974 PIT 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 6 1973 MIA 1 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 12 1972 MIA 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 9 1971 DAL 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 8 1970 BAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 1969 KAN 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 11 1968 NYJ 1 1 2 0 1 1 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 11 1967 GNB 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 9 1966 GNB 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 8 Avg 0.66 0.62 0.57 0.23 0.49 0.45 0.34 0.43 0.6 0.36 0.51 0.45 0.79 0.23 0.11 6.96

Note: The farther back in time you go, the less clear some of the designations are regarding special teams player. Did Morris make the Pro Bowl as a running back, a returner, or a great player who was a running back and returner? As a result, take the “ST” column — which shows punt and kick returners along with special teams “aces” that made the Pro Bowl — with a grain of salt.

Other interesting note: the ’68 Jets and the ’85 Bears are the only two teams with two Pro Bowl defensive ends, and arguably Chicago’s Dan Hampton was just as much defensive tackle as he was end that year (he switched mid-way through the season to accommodate the Fridge). Those Jets are also one of just three teams to send two wide receivers to the Pro Bowl.