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Pro Bowl: Rice, Sanders choosing sides, might play

The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs each placed a league-high eight players on the 2014 Pro Bowl, announced Friday, but the season-long teammates from those respective clubs may not even be on the same side in this all-star game.

Despite the fact they are long retired, two of the greatest players of all time may get it on one more time as part of this event.

The game is Jan. 26 -- a week before the Super Bowl -- and will be televised live on NBC at 7 p.m. ET from Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning leads the list in terms of seniority with his 13th Pro Bowl selection and is one of six quarterbacks named to the game. The other quarterbacks are New England's Tom Brady (ninth selection), New Orleans' Drew Brees (eighth), San Diego's Philip Rivers (fifth), Seattle's Russell Wilson (second) and Carolina's Cam Newton (second).

Unlike Pro Bowls going back to 1971, this one will not divide the players by AFC vs. the NFC. Instead, Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders -- who were teammates while with the 49ers and combatants while on competing teams during their careers -- will take turns drafting from the selected players, essentially a school-yard style pick-em process.

The draft is Jan. 22, televised live on NFL Network at 8 p.m. ET. Based on their spirited banter during the Pro Bowl announcements on NFL Network Friday, Rice and Sanders will carry into this the same high level of competitiveness that made them so great on the field.

If they have their way, Rice and Sanders will suit up and put on their own man-to-man show.

"I wasn't kidding, I am up for it," Rice confirmed with The Sports Xchange.

Near the end of the televised announcement show Friday, Rice and Sanders were on a split screen, baiting each other.

"You better now line up in front of me, I know that," Rice said to Sanders, who played wide receiver 19 years for four NFL teams.

"Don't make me come through that screen, Jerry," responded Sanders, who was a cornerback and returner for 12 years with five NFL teams.

"I am getting in with my team, I'm playing," Sanders added.

"I am ready to go, baby, any time," replied Rice. "Me and you. Mano-a-mano any time. Bring it, bring it."

The Pro Bowl selections were determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group's vote counted one-third toward determining the 86 selections announced Friday. Two additional "need" players will be chosen by each head coach and must be long snappers.

2014 Pro Bowl players by club:

Listed by player, position Pro Bowls

ARIZONA (3)

John Abraham, Outside Linebacker, 5

Justin Bethel, Special Teamer, 1.

Patrick Peterson, Cornerback, 3

BALTIMORE (4)

Haloti Ngata, Defensive Lineman, 5

Terrell Suggs, Outside Linebacker, 6

Justin Tucker, Placekicker, 1

Marshal Yanda, Guard, 3

BUFFALO (3)

Jairus Byrd, Free Safety, 3

Kyle Williams, Defensive Lineman, 3

Mario Williams, Defensive End, 3

CAROLINA (5)

Greg Hardy, Defensive End, 1

Ryan Kalil, Center, 4

Luke Kuechly, ILB, MLB, 1

Cam Newton, Quarterback, 2

Mike Tolbert, Fullback, 1

CHICAGO (2)

Matt Forte, Running Back, 2

Brandon Marshall, Wide Receiver, 5

CINCINNATI (2)

Vontaze Burfict, ILB/MLB, 1

A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, 3

CLEVELAND (5)

Jordan Cameron, Tight End, 1

Josh Gordon, Wide Receiver, 1

Joe Haden, Cornerback, 1

Alex Mack, Center, 2

Joe Thomas, Tackle, 7

DALLAS (2)

Dez Bryant, Wide Receiver, 1

Tyron Smith, Tackle, 1

DENVER (5)

Peyton Manning, Quarterback, 13

Matt Prater, Placekicker, 1

Demaryius Thomas, Wide Receiver, 2

Julius Thomas, Tight End, 1

Louis Vasquez, Guard, 1

DETROIT (2)

Calvin Johnson, Wide Receiver, 4

Ndamukong Suh, Defensive Lineman, 3

HOUSTON (2)

Andre Johnson, Wide Receiver, 7

J.J. Watt, Defensive End, 2

INDIANAPOLIS (1)

Robert Mathis, Outside Linebacker, 5

KANSAS CITY (8)

Branden Albert, Tackle, 1

Eric Berry, Strong Safety, 3

Jamaal Charles, Running Back, 3

Brandon Flowers, Cornerback, 1

Tamba Hali, Outside Linebacker, 3

Justin Houston, Outside Linebacker, 2

Dexter McCluster, Punt Returner, 1

Dontari Poe, Defensive Lineman, 1

MIAMI (4)

Brandon Fields, Punter 1

Brent Grimes, Cornerback, 2

Mike Pouncey, Center, 1

Cameron Wake, Defensive End, 3

MINNESOTA (1)

Adrian Peterson, Running Back, 6

NEW ENGLAND (4)

Tom Brady, Quarterback, 9

Logan Mankins, Guard, 6

Matthew Slater, Special Teamer, 3

Aqib Talib, Cornerback, 1

NEW ORLEANS (5)

Drew Brees, Quarterback, 8

Jahri Evans, Guard, 5

Jimmy Graham, Tight End, 2

Ben Grubbs, Guard, 2

Cameron Jordan, Defensive End, 1

OAKLAND (1)

Marcel Reece, Fullback, 2

PHILADELPHIA (2)

LeSean McCoy, Running Back, 2

Jason Peters, Tackle, 6

PITTSBURGH (2)

Antonio Brown, WR/PR, 2

Troy Polamalu, Strong Safety, 8

ST. LOUIS (2)

Johnny Hekker, Punter, 1

Robert Quinn, Defensive End, 1

SAN DIEGO (2)

Philip Rivers, Quarterback, 5

Eric Weddle, Free Safety, 2

SAN FRANCISCO (8)

NaVorro Bowman, ILB/MLB, 2

Ahmad Brooks, Outside Linebacker, 2

Vernon Davis, Tight End, 2

Frank Gore, Running Back, 5

Mike Iupati, Guard, 2

Justin Smith, Defensive Lineman, 5

Joe Staley, Tackle, 3

Patrick Willis, ILB/MLB, 7

SEATTLE (6)

Kam Chancellor, Strong Safety, 2

Marshawn Lynch, Running Back, 4

Richard Sherman, Cornerback, 1

Earl Thomas, Free Safety, 3

Max Unger, Center, 2

Russell Wilson, Quarterback, 2

TAMPA BAY (2)

Gerald McCoy, Defensive Lineman, 2

Darrelle Revis, Cornerback, 5

TENNESSEE (1)

Alterraun Verner, Cornerback, 1

WASHINGTON (1)

Trent Williams, Tackle, 2