PRO FOOTBALL : PRO BOWL SELECTIONS : Giants’ Taylor Earns Another Trip to Hawaii, but He Might Not Take It

Nine trips to Hawaii might be enough for Lawrence Taylor.

The New York Giants’ linebacker became the first NFL player selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first 10 seasons and then hinted he may not play in the Feb. 3 game at Honolulu.

“I don’t know,” Taylor said Wednesday. “I love the trip. I like going to Hawaii but it gets a little tedious if the season goes on too long. Especially if we go to the Super Bowl. The question is whether you want to go through another week.”

The Buffalo Bills led the NFL with eight players selected in voting by players and coaches. The Chicago Bears, with six players, led the NFC and the Giants and San Francisco each placed five players on the team, with the 49ers’ Joe Montana at quarterback and Jerry Rice at one wide receiver spot.

Three rookies made the Pro Bowl--Phoenix running back Johnny Johnson and Chicago safety Mark Carrier for the NFC and Miami tackle Richmond Webb of Miami for the AFC.

The only teams without representatives were the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys.

Before Taylor was named a 10th time, six other players were elected nine times and former Pittsburgh linebacker Jack Lambert made the team in his first nine seasons. Offensive tackle Anthony Munoz of Cincinnati, an 11-year veteran, was selected for the 10th time but has played in just eight games.

The Bills have five starters--wide receiver Andre Reed, center Kent Hull, running back Thurman Thomas, defensive end Bruce Smith and linebacker Shane Conlan. The Bills’ backups are quarterback Jim Kelly and linebacker Cornelius Bennett. Steve Tasker was named special teams player.

The Houston Oilers had six players on the AFC team, including quarterback Warren Moon and guards Bruce Matthews and Mike Munchak as starters.

Taylor is considered to be having an off-year but still has 9 1/2 sacks despited a more limited role due to an injury to outside linebacker Carl Banks.

“I’m happy that the respect I’ve built up over the years still lives on,” Taylor said. “That the players still respect me not only as a person but as a ballplayer.’

The coaches respect him, too.

“He’s the best in the game,” Phoenix Coach Joe Bugel. “He’s what we call ‘rare.’ A rare football player. I love watching the guy play. If he played for 20 years, he’d make it for 20 years.”

One more player will be added to each team by the coaching staffs, which come from the losing teams in the NFC and AFC championship games.

* ROSTERS: C14