Linebacker Jon Beason will play in the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive year when he replaced an injured Lance Briggs of the Chicago Bears on the NFC roster on Monday.
This will be Beason's first time attending the NFL all-star game as an outside linebacker after playing the previous two at middle linebacker. One of six Panthers linebackers to ever make the Pro Bowl, Beason's appearance sets a team record for the most Pro Bowls by a linebacker, topping the two by Kevin Greene.
In 2010, Beason started the first eight games at weakside linebacker and then moved to middle linebacker for the final eight following a season-ending injury to Dan Connor. He collected a team-high 162 tackles in addition to recording one sack, one forced fumble, one interception and eight passes defensed.
Since being drafted in the first round (25th overall) by Carolina in 2007, Beason has led the Panthers in tackles all four seasons, including a team-record 169 in 2009, and has posted the four highest single-season tackle totals in franchise annals. His 64-consecutive game starting streak ranks as the fourth longest in team history.
Beason joins teammates Jordan Gross and center Ryan Kalil on the NFC squad. Gross will start at tackle, while Kalil is an injury replacement for New York Giants center Shaun O'Hara. The Panthers have now had at least three Pro Bowlers in seven of the last eight seasons.
The Pro Bowl will take place on Sunday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. EST at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii and will be broadcast by FOX.
