Wikipedia / 1976 Pro Bowl
Wikipedia / 1976 Pro Bowl
The 1976 Pro Bowl was the NFL's 26th annual all-star game which featured the outstanding performers from the 1975 season. The game was played on Monday night, January 26, 1976, at the new Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, with 32,108 in attendance. The final score was NFC 23, AFC 20. It was also the first Pro Bowl game played indoors.
The game featured the best players in the National Football League as selected by the league's coaches. John Madden of the Oakland Raiders led the AFC team against an NFC team led by Los Angeles Rams head coach Chuck Knox.
The AFC's Billy "White Shoes" Johnson was named the game's MVP on the strength of a 90-yard punt return touchdown and a second punt return of 55 yards that set up a field goal. The referee was Fred Silva.
Players on the winning NFC team received $2,000 apiece while the AFC participants each took home $1,500.
Rosters
The 40-man Pro Bowl squads consisted of the following players:
Offense
Position | AFC | NFC |
Terry Bradshaw – PittsburghKen Anderson – CincinnatiDan Pastorini – Houston | Fran Tarkenton – Minnesota Jim Hart – St. Louis Roger Staubach – Dallas Mike Boryla – Philadelphia | |
O. J. Simpson – Buffalo Franco Harris – Pittsburgh Lydell Mitchell – Baltimore John Riggins – NY Jets | Chuck Foreman – MinnesotaTerry Metcalf – St. LouisLawrence McCutcheon – Los AngelesJim Otis – St. Louis | |
Lynn Swann – PittsburghIsaac Curtis – CincinnatiCliff Branch – OaklandKen Burrough – Houston | Mel Gray – St. LouisJohn Gilliam –MinnesotaHarold Jackson – Los AngelesCharley Taylor – Washington | |
Charle Young – PhiladelphiaCharlie Sanders – Detroit | ||
Art Shell – OaklandGeorge Kunz – BaltimoreRuss Washington – San Diego | Ron Yary – MinnesotaDan Dierdorf – St. LouisRayfield Wright – Dallas | |
Bob Kuechenberg – MiamiGene Upshaw – OaklandJoe DeLamielleure – Buffalo | Ed White – MinnesotaConrad Dobler – St. LouisTom Mack – Los Angeles | |
Jim Langer – MiamiJack Rudnay – Kansas City | Tom Banks – St. LouisJeff Van Note – Atlanta |
Defense
Position | AFC | NFC |
John Dutton – BaltimoreL. C. Greenwood – PittsburghElvin Bethea – Houston | Jack Youngblood – Los AngelesCedrick Hardman – San Francisco Fred Dryer – Los Angeles | |
Jerry Sherk – ClevelandJoe Greene – PittsburghCurley Culp – Houston | Alan Page – MinnesotaMerlin Olsen – Los AngelesWally Chambers – Chicago | |
Willie Lanier – Kansas CityJack Lambert – PittsburghRandy Gradishar – Denver | Jeff Siemon – MinnesotaJack Reynolds – Los Angeles | |
Andy Russell – PittsburghJack Ham – PittsburghPhil Villapiano – Oakland | Chris Hanburger – WashingtonIsiah Robertson – Los Angeles Fred Carr – Green Bay | |
Mel Blount – PittsburghLemar Parrish – CincinnatiEmmitt Thomas – Kansas City | Roger Wehrli – St. LouisLem Barney – DetroitBobby Bryant – Minnesota | |
Mike Wagner – PittsburghJake Scott – MiamiJack Tatum –OaklandGlen Edwards – Pittsburgh | Cliff Harris – DallasKen Houston – WashingtonPaul Krause – Minnesota |
Special teams
Position | AFC | NFC |
Jan Stenerud – Kansas City | Jim Bakken – St. Louis | |
Ray Guy – Oakland | John James – Atlanta | |
Billy Johnson – Houston | Steve Odom – Green Bay |
Roster Notes:
bold denotes player who participated in game
Injured player; selected but did not play
Replacement selection due to injury or vacancy
Number of selections by team
Note: these numbers include players selected to the team but unable to play as well as replacements for these injured players, so there are more than 40 players in each conference.
AFC team | Selections |
11 | |
6 | |
5 | |
4 | |
3 | |
3 | |
3 | |
2 | |
2 | |
2 | |
1 | |
1 | |
— | |
NFC team | Selections |
9 | |
9 | |
8 | |
3 | |
3 | |
2 | |
2 | |
2 | |
2 | |
1 | |
1 | |
— | |
— |
References