The Associated Press revealed its 2022 All Pro Team results and, honestly, the immediate reaction wasn't just about who made it. It was about who finally made it and who got snubbed into oblivion. People get worked up over the Pro Bowl, but that’s basically a popularity contest at a beach party. Being an All-Pro? That’s different. It’s the highest honor a football player can get outside of the Hall of Fame. It means the 50 people who actually watch every single snap of tape decided you were the absolute best at your job.
Look at Justin Jefferson.
He was the only unanimous selection that year. Every single one of the 50 voters looked at his season with the Vikings—1,809 yards, the "Catch" against Buffalo, the way he moved in and out of breaks—and said, "Yeah, that's the guy." It didn't matter if you liked the Vikings or not. You couldn't argue with it. But then you look at the rest of the roster, and things get a little more complicated. The 2022 season was a massive pivot point for the league. We saw the "Old Guard" start to crumble and a bunch of young, twitchy defenders take over the league in ways we hadn't seen since the early 2010s.
The Quarterback Debate: Mahomes vs. Everyone Else
Patrick Mahomes earned his second First-Team All-Pro nod in 2022, and it wasn't particularly close. He got 49 out of 50 first-place votes. Jalen Hurts got the other one. Some people thought Hurts deserved more credit for what he did with his legs and how he transformed that Eagles offense, but Mahomes was doing Mahomes things. He threw for 5,250 yards. Read that again. Over five thousand yards in a single season while losing Tyreek Hill. People thought the Chiefs would take a step back. Instead, Mahomes just distributed the ball like a point guard and proved he was the system.
Josh Allen and Joe Burrow were left on the outside looking in for the first team. It’s kinda wild when you think about it. In almost any other era, Burrow’s 2022 season would have been a lock for a First-Team spot. But we are living in the golden age of QB play, where "great" just gets you a Second-Team nod.
The Sauce Gardner Phenomenon
Can we talk about Sauce for a second?
Sauce Gardner becoming a First-Team All-Pro as a rookie was historic. It doesn't happen. Cornerback is arguably the hardest position for a young player to learn because NFL receivers are basically track stars with sticky hands. If you mess up by a quarter-inch, you're on a highlight reel for the wrong reasons. Yet, there was Sauce, locking down half the field for the Jets. He wasn't just "good for a rookie." He was the best corner in the league, period. He joined Patrick Surtain II on that first team, signaling a massive shift toward length and speed at the perimeter.
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The 2022 All Pro Team really highlighted this youth movement. Along with Sauce, you had guys like Micah Parsons (who is basically a human cheat code) and Nick Bosa dominating the edges. Bosa was a monster that year. 46 out of 50 voters put him on the first team. He had 18.5 sacks and was the primary reason the 49ers' defense felt like running into a brick wall for four quarters.
Travis Kelce and the "Unanimous" Near-Miss
Travis Kelce was nearly unanimous, coming in with 43 first-place votes. It’s actually sort of funny that seven people watched the 2022 season and thought, "Nah, there's a better tight end than Kelce." George Kittle is incredible, and Mark Andrews is a beast, but Kelce was the entire passing game for a Super Bowl champion.
The offensive line was where the "boring but essential" stuff happened. Trent Williams (49 votes) and Lane Johnson (44 votes) were the pillars. If you’re a fan of line play, 2022 was a masterclass. Zack Martin and Joel Bitonio held down the guard spots, proving that while the league is getting faster, you still need those big, powerful anchors in the middle if you want to win a ring.
Why the Snubs Actually Mattered
Every year, fans scream about snubs. In 2022, the loudest screams were for guys like Christian McCaffrey. CMC didn't make the first or second team at running back. Why? Because Josh Jacobs had a career year in Las Vegas and Nick Chubb was busy being the most efficient runner on the planet. McCaffrey’s mid-season trade to the 49ers probably split the vote or made people overlook his total body of work, but it felt wrong to see a guy that talented left off the list.
The linebacker corps was also a point of contention. Roquan Smith made the first team, which was a huge validation for him after the messy exit from Chicago and the trade to Baltimore. He completely changed the Ravens' culture the moment he walked into the building. Fred Warner joined him, which, let's be honest, is just standard procedure at this point. If Warner is healthy, he's an All-Pro.
Special Teams: The Kicker Controversy
Justin Tucker is the GOAT. We know this. But in 2022, Daniel Carlson was the First-Team All-Pro kicker.
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This happens sometimes. The "best" player doesn't always have the "best" season. Carlson was automatic for the Raiders, hitting 11 field goals from 50+ yards. That’s insane. It’s essentially a cheat code for an offense that stalls out at the 35-yard line. Meanwhile, Marcus Jones (Patriots) took the punt returner spot because he was arguably the most electric player in the league with the ball in his hands during the third phase of the game.
Breakdown of the 2022 First-Team Roster
Instead of a dry list, let's look at the core groups that defined this specific year.
On the Offensive side, it was the year of the "Alpha Receiver." Justin Jefferson, Davante Adams, and Tyreek Hill. Adams proved he didn't need Aaron Rodgers to be elite, and Tyreek proved he didn't need Mahomes. It was a massive year for individual talent overcoming scheme changes.
The Defense was defined by the "Pressure Producers."
- Nick Bosa (Edge)
- Micah Parsons (Edge)
- Chris Jones (Interior)
- Quinnen Williams (Interior)
Chris Jones finally got the respect he deserved as a game-wrecker. For years, he was in Aaron Donald's shadow. In 2022, he stepped out of it. He was the most disruptive interior force in football, and the 49 first-place votes reflected that. Quinnen Williams also had his breakout, turning the Jets' interior into a "no-fly zone" by simply collapsing the pocket before the QB could even look at his first read.
The Evolution of the Flex Position
One thing that makes the 2022 All Pro Team interesting is how the AP handles the "flex" or multiple-position players. We are seeing more "positionless" football. Look at Micah Parsons. Is he a linebacker? Is he a defensive end? The voters eventually just settled on him as an "Edge," but his impact is everywhere. This shift in voting mirrors how the actual game is played now. Coaches don't want a "strongside linebacker" anymore; they want an "athlete who can ruin the offensive coordinator's life."
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What We Learned from the 2022 Results
If you look back at these selections, you see the blueprint for the modern NFL. You need a quarterback who can create out of structure (Mahomes). You need a receiver who wins every 1-on-1 (Jefferson). You need a left tackle who is an island (Williams). And on defense, you need pass rushers who don't need a blitz to get home.
The 2022 All Pro Team wasn't just a list of names. It was a snapshot of a league in transition. The "old" superstars like Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady were noticeably absent from the top spots, making room for the Hurts, Bosa, and Sauce Gardner era to officially begin. It’s rare to see such a clean "passing of the torch" in a single season’s awards, but 2022 gave us exactly that.
To really understand the value of an All-Pro nod, you have to look at the contract incentives. For many of these guys, making this team meant millions of dollars in bonuses or the ability to trigger "escalator" clauses in their rookie deals. When Sauce Gardner made it, it wasn't just about the trophy—it was about his future leverage in every negotiation he’ll ever have.
Actionable Takeaways for Football Fans
When you're evaluating players for your own rankings or even for something like a dynasty fantasy league, keep these things in mind from the 2022 cycle:
- Look for Unanimous Trends: When a player like Justin Jefferson is a unanimous All-Pro, stop looking for "regression." These guys are outliers.
- Contextualize the "Snub": Christian McCaffrey didn't make All-Pro in 2022, but he was still the best weapon in the league. Use All-Pro lists as a guide, but remember that voters sometimes have "voter fatigue" or get swayed by a specific narrative (like Josh Jacobs leading the league in rushing).
- Track the Youth: The 2022 team was incredibly young at the cornerback and edge positions. This tells you the league is prioritizing raw athleticism and length over "veteran savvy" in the current officiating environment.
- Respect the Trenches: If you want to know who the next great team will be, look at the All-Pro offensive line. The Eagles had two first-teamers in 2022 (Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce), and they went to the Super Bowl. It’s not a coincidence.
The 2022 All Pro Team serves as a historical marker. It was the year the "New NFL" finally stopped asking for permission and just took over the building. If you want to win at a high level, you need a roster that looks exactly like that list.