GRIMES AND JONES NAMED TO PRO BOWL
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January 25, 2016
GRIMES AND JONES NAMED TO PRO BOWL
NEW YORK – The National Football League today announced that Miami Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes and safety Reshad Jones have been selected to participate in the 2016 Pro Bowl. The annual game will be played on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 at 7 p.m. ET and televised live on ESPN from Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The addition of Grimes and Jones gives the Dolphins five Pro Bowl selections (including tackle Branden Albert, wide receiver Jarvis Landry and center Mike Pouncey, who will not play in the game due to injury) for the first time since following the 2002 season when the team had seven players selected to the NFL’s annual all-star contest. Overall, this is the 13th time in team history that Miami has had five-or-more Pro Bowl selections (1971-74, 1978, 1983-84, 1986, 1993-94, 2000 and 2002).
Jones and Grimes extend Miami’s streak to 18 consecutive seasons with a defensive player selected to the Pro Bowl. Miami has had at least one representative in the Pro Bowl in all but two seasons of the team’s 50-year history. The only seasons in which the Dolphins did not have a Pro Bowl representative were following the 1980 and 1997 campaigns.
Additionally, the selections of Grimes and Jones marks the first time since following the 2003 season (cornerback Patrick Surtain and safety Brock Marion) that the Dolphins have had two members of their secondary selected to the Pro Bowl in the same season. Following the 2002 season, the Dolphins had three representatives from their secondary (cornerback Sam Madison, Marion and Surtain) selected to the Pro Bowl.
Grimes has been named to the Pro Bowl following each of his three seasons (2013-15) with the Dolphins and the fourth time overall, having also been named to the NFL’s annual all-star game following the 2010 season as a member of the Atlanta Falcons. Grimes’ three Pro Bowl selections ties him with Surtain (2002-04) for the second-most Pro Bowls by a Dolphins cornerback, behind only Madison’s four invitations (1999-2002). Grimes joins Hall of Fame wide receiver Paul Warfield (five times, 1970-74) as the only Dolphins players to earn Pro Bowl invitations following each of their first three seasons in Miami after coming over from another team. Grimes had signed as an unrestricted free agent in March 2013 after playing for the Falcons, while Warfield was acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Brown in 1970.
Since joining the Dolphins in 2013, Grimes has totaled 13 interceptions, tied for the fourth-most in the NFL during that time. He is also tied for fourth in the league in passes defensed, with 43 since 2013.
In 2015, Grimes totaled 42 tackles, four interceptions and 14 passes defensed. He now ranks tied for 10th in team history with 43 passes defensed and tied for 23rd with 23 interceptions despite playing just 47 games in a Dolphins uniform. He is the only player to rank in the top 25 of both lists and play in 50 games or less.
Jones’ selection is the first of his six-year career, as he becomes the first Dolphins safety to be selected to the Pro Bowl since Yeremiah Bell was named to the game following the 2009 season. Overall, Jones becomes the sixth safety in team history to earn Pro Bowl status, joining Jake Scott (1971-75), Dick Anderson (1972-74), Tim Foley (1979), Marion (2000, 2002-03) and Bell.
In 2015, the safety led all NFL defensive backs with 135 total tackles (106 solo) and tied the franchise record with two interception returns for touchdowns in 2015. He also posted two sacks, 10 passes defensed and one fumble recovery.
During his six years with Miami (2010-15), Jones has totaled 8.5 sacks, the second-most among Dolphins defensive backs in team history. His three career interception returns for touchdown puts him in a tie for second place in club annals.
Grimes will replace Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib, who is unable to participate due to advancing to Super Bowl 50. Jones will replace Cincinnati Bengals safety Reggie Nelson, who will miss the game due to injury.
For the third consecutive year, Pro Bowl rosters will not be tied to a conference. Players will be assigned to teams through the Pro Bowl Draft, which will air on Wednesday, Jan. 27 on ESPN2 (7:30 p.m. ET). Two Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receivers — Michael Irvin and Jerry Rice — will serve as NFL Legends captains for the 2016 Pro Bowl. Irvin and Rice return for the second time after being the winning captains during the previous two Pro Bowls.
