In his 10th year with the Ravens, punter Sam Koch is finally going to his first Pro Bowl.
Though the Ravens are in the midst of the most disappointing season in franchise history, Koch and right guard Marshal Yanda were named to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday night. The two Pro Bowl selections are the fewest Baltimore has had since left tackle Jonathan Ogden was the lone representative in the 2005 season.
Having led the NFL in net punting average each of the last two seasons, Koch is finally receiving credit as one of the best punters in the NFL. The 2006 sixth-round pick is averaging 43.0 net yards per punt and has just three touchbacks all season.
“This has definitely been a long time in the making,” Koch said in a statement released by the Ravens. “A lot of hard work and practice have gone into this. … This is a very surreal and exciting moment for my family and me. I can’t wait to represent the Ravens in Hawaii.”
Having signed a five-year extension before the season, Koch has never missed a game in his 10-year career and has played in a team-record 158 consecutive games. The 6-foot-1, 219-pound punter is the fifth special-teams player under John Harbaugh to make a Pro Bowl, joining Brendon Ayanbadejo, Billy Cundiff, Jacoby Jones, and Justin Tucker.
With six-time Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs spending the season on injured reserve, Koch is the longest-tenured Ravens player currently on the active roster. The next-longest-tenured player on the roster is Yanda, who was named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl.
Yanda is the sixth player in franchise history to make five Pro Bowls while playing for the Ravens, joining Ray Lewis, Ogden, Ed Reed, Suggs, and Haloti Ngata. With the Ravens celebrating their 20th season in Baltimore, Yanda was voted by fans as one of the 10 best players in franchise history earlier this year.
Pro Football Focus has graded Yanda as the top overall guard in the NFL this season as he’s graded third in run block and third in pass blocking. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound lineman signed a four-year extension earlier this season and is quietly building a case as one of the best players in franchise history.
Yanda has missed only two offensive snaps all year and has missed only two games over the last seven seasons.
“Football is the ultimate team sport, and you don’t do anything in this league on your own,” said Yanda, Baltimore’s third-round selection in the 2007 draft. “I want to thank the coaches and my teammates for helping me along the way. We all grind together with the goal of achieving greatness.”
Linebacker C.J. Mosley and fullback Kyle Juszczyk were named third alternates at their positions, meaning they could be invited to play in the game should other players not be able to attend due to injury or because they’re competing in the Super Bowl.
Many teammates, fans, and media were clamoring for nose tackle Brandon Williams to make the Pro Bowl as he’s emerged as arguably the best run-stopping defensive tackle in the NFL, but players at positions with few statistics often have to wait their turn to finally receive Pro Bowl recognition. Though he became one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL from the time he was drafted by the Ravens in 2006, Ngata did not make his first Pro Bowl until his fourth NFL season and went on to make it five consecutive years.
The Pro Bowl will take place at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu on Jan. 31.
