Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and punter Shane Lechler were named to the 2010 Pro Bowl squad in late December, while long snapper/linebacker Jon Condo was added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster as a "need" player on January 19. DE Richard Seymour and TE Zach Miller have been chosen as alternates.
"I am excited and happy for the Raiders who have been selected for the Pro Bowl," said Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable when the teams were announced in December. "It's tremendous that they are being recognized as the best at their positions. They deserve it and the Raiders organization is proud of them. The Raiders have rich history and tradition and these players exemplify what it means to wear the Silver and Black."
The Pro Bowl selection is the fifth for Lechler, who led the NFL in gross (51.1) and net punting average (43.9) in 2009.
Lechler has 778 career punts for 36,811 yards in 10 pro seasons. He was originally a fifth-round draft pick out of Texas A&M University by the Raiders in 2000. Lechler's 47.3-yard career punting average is the highest in NFL history for players with at least 250 attempts.
For Asomugha, this is the third Pro Bowl nod of his seven-year NFL career. He was named a starter last season and was an addition to the 2006 Pro Bowl squad after being named an alternate, but did not make the game due to the late notification.
Asomugha was one of two Raiders first round selections in the 2003 NFL Draft. He had four passes defensed in 2009 and his interception on November 22 against Cincinnati brought his career total to 11. He tied for third in the NFL with eight interceptions during the 2006 season.
Condo has handled all long-snapping duties for the Silver and Black on punts and place kicks for the past three seasons. In 2009, he tied for third on the Raiders in special teams tackles with 10, including seven solo stops.
Condo entered the NFL with Dallas in 2005 as a rookie free agent and played in three games for the Cowboys that year. He spent the 2006 training camp and preseason with the New England Patriots before being signed to the Raiders practice squad later that season.
The Raiders have had 172 Pro Bowl selections among 58 different players since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
