Rice Unanimous Pro Bowl Choice; 5 Rams, 2 Raiders Selected

Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers, who has set two National Football League receiving records this season, was the only unanimous choice among the 82 players selected for the Pro Bowl Feb. 7 at Honolulu.

Going into the final week of the season, Rice has caught touchdown passes in a record 12 straight regular-season games, one more than the mark of 11 straight games set by Elroy Hirsch of the Rams and Buddy Dial of the Pittsburgh Steelers. His 21 touchdown receptions in 11 games in the strike-curtailed season have broken the mark of 18 set by the Miami Dolphins’ Mark Clayton in 16 games three years ago.

The Cleveland Browns, with seven players, and the Indianapolis Colts, with six, had the most players on the 41-man American Football Conference team. One of the Colts picked was Eric Dickerson. Five teams--the Rams, Bears, Vikings, Saints and 49ers--had five players each on the National Football Conference squad.

From the Rams, running back Charlie White, tackle Jackie Slater, guard Dennis Harrah, center Doug Smith and defensive back Jerry Gray were selected. The Raiders will be represented by tight end Todd Christensen and defensive end Howie Long.

Harry Carson of the New York Giants tied a record by being selected for the ninth season. Others to do that include Joe Greene and Jack Lambert of Pittsburgh, Ken Houston of Houston and Washington and Walter Payton of the Bears.

Payton, who is retiring after this season, failed to break the record when he was not chosen in the voting by players and coaches.