Eight unanimous selections highlight the 2010-19 All-Decade Team, announced today by the National Football League and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
*Unanimous selection
The 55-member team is the result of votes cast over the last several weeks by the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 48-member selection committee. Only players who received at least one selection to a Pro Bowl, Associated Press All-Pro team or Pro Football Writers of America all-conference team during the 2010-19 seasons were eligible.
Eight unanimous selections – quarterback TOM BRADY, defensive tackle AARON DONALD, linebacker VON MILLER, running back ADRIAN PETERSON, offensive tackle JOE THOMAS, kicker JUSTIN TUCKER, defensive end J.J. WATT and guard MARSHAL YANDA – appear among the 53 players.
Brady and Green Bay’s AARON RODGERS, the two quarterbacks on the team, guided their respective clubs to the NFL’s top two win-loss records during the decade, including postseason. The Patriots were 141-42-0 (.770) while the Packers were 112-63-2 (.638).
Linebacker BOBBY WAGNER leads a parade of five Seahawks who spent all or most of the decade in Seattle. In addition to Wagner, Seattle is represented by former cornerback RICHARD SHERMAN, former safety EARL THOMAS and running back MARSHAWN LYNCH. Head coach PETE CARROLL, who led the team to eight playoff berths, two Super Bowls and one championship during the decade, is one of two coaches on the all-decade team.
The NFC West, which has sent a club to five of the last eight Super Bowls, is the most heavily represented division. Players who played primarily in the division on the all-decade team also include Donald (Los Angeles Rams, defensive end CALAIS CAMPBELL (Arizona, wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD (Arizona, running back FRANK GORE (San Francisco, punter JOHNNY HEKKER (Los Angeles Rams, linebacker CHANDLER JONES (Arizona, cornerback PATRICK PETERSON (Arizona, tackle JOE STALEY (San Francisco) and linebacker PATRICK WILLIS (San Francisco).
In addition to Carroll, the other head coach on the team is BILL BELICHICK, now one of two coaches ever to appear on multiple all-decade teams, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer CHUCK NOLL (1970s and 1980s). Belichick and Pro Football Hall of Famer TONY DUNGY were the coaches on the 2000s team.
Joining Belichick are four other Patriots who combined to guide New England during the decade to five Super Bowls, more than any team. Brady, former kicker STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI, former tight end ROB GRONKOWSKI and former guard LOGAN MANKINS also spent all or the majority of the decade with the club.
Belichick and Brady join kick returner DEVIN HESTER, punter SHANE LECHLER and defensive end JULIUS PEPPERS as the five individuals to make the team in each of the last two decades.
DARREN SPROLES, selected as both an offensive flex player and a punt returner, is the fourth individual ever to appear on an all-decade team at multiple positions, joining MEL GRAY (kick returner and punt returner in 1990s, DANTE HALL (kick returner and punt returner in 2000s) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DEION SANDERS (cornerback and punt returner in 1990s). The NFL replaced fullback on the 2010s team with the flex position, reflecting the evolution of the game. The flex is defined as a player who fits several offensive roles for his club. Sproles tied for second among NFL players during the decade with five punt-return touchdowns.
The KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, who captured Super Bowl LIV in February, placed five individuals on the team, former safety ERIC BERRY, punt returner TYREEK HILL, tight end TRAVIS KELCE, defensive back TYRANN MATHIEU and running back LESEAN MCCOY, who also played for Philadelphia and Buffalo during the decade.
Two clubs placed multiple offensive linemen on the all-decade team. The DALLAS COWBOYS were represented by both guard ZACK MARTIN and offensive tackle TYRON SMITH while the CLEVELAND BROWNS were led by unanimous selection JOE THOMAS at offensive tackle and ALEX MACK, who played center from 2009-15 before signing with the Falcons.
Also, three players who earned the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year during the decade made the team: Campbell (2019, Fitzgerald (2016) and Watt (2017).