A closer look at McKinnie's road to Pro Bowl

Bryant McKinnie was enjoying his day off Tuesday when he received a call on his cell phone from coach Brad Childress. Like everyone these days, McKinnie checked the caller ID on the phone, saw it was the boss and immediately gave thought to sending the call into voicemail.

"I didn't even know why he was calling," McKinnie said. "I don't want to say I had forgotten about it, but I wasn't even thinking about it at the time. So I'm looking at the phone, debating like, 'Hmmm. Should I let it go to voicemail?' So I said, 'Let me answer the phone.'"

That turned out to be a good move. Childress simply wanted to tell his big left tackle that he was one of eight Vikings picked to the NFC Pro Bowl roster and one of five who would start in the game. The Pro Bowl berth is the first of McKinnie's eight-year career and considering he was pulled in the second half two games ago in Carolina there were some surprised that he made it at all. The fact the Vikings have lost three of their past four doesn't help matters.

McKinnie was one of many Vikings who led the NFL at his position in the fan voting but that wasn't enough to get him in the game. The fan vote counts one-third toward determining the roster, with players and coaches also getting a say in the process.

So how did they land on McKinnie and Philadelphia's Jason Peters as the starters with New Orleans' Jon Stinchcomb as the backup? (McKinnie and Peters are left tackles and Stinchcomb is a right tackle.)

Last season, the tackles on the NFC Pro Bowl team were Seattle's Walter Jones, Carolina's Jordan Gross, Washington's Chris Samuels, Dallas' Flozell Adams and New Orleans' Jammal Brown. Jones and Samuels pulled out of the game and were replaced by Adams and Brown.

Right now, Jones (knee), Gross (broken ankle), Samuels (neck) and Brown (hip, sports hernia) are all on injured reserve. Jones is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and among the NFL's most respected offensive linemen. What this meant is that  players and coaches had to begin identifying new offensive tackles to pick and the pattern is that left tackles usually get the most attention because they are ordinarily the guys who are paid big bucks to protect the quarterback's blindside.

Peters wasn't that tough of choice because he had been a Pro Bowl selection during his days with the Buffalo Bills. But that only filled one spot. I started covering the Vikings in 2005 and McKinnie probably had the best season I've seen him have that year. However, he is definitely a recognizable name and he rarely misses playing time -- save for the four-game suspension to start 2008 -- so that had to help.

A guy like Green Bay's Chad Clifton could have gotten consideration if he hadn't missed time because of injuries. 

McKinnie hasn't talked very much about the ankle injury he suffered on Dec. 6 at Arizona but on Wednesday he admitted he is still trying to get himself right.

"I'm doing everything I can to get refreshed because I know once the playoffs start it's like a whole 'nother season 'bout to start," he said. "And the intensity is going to be real high, so you have to be at the best that you can possibly be. So I've been doing everything. I sat in the hot tub yesterday. I got a massage yesterday. I got in the cold tub two times this week. I'm just trying to do everything I can to put myself in position so I can play fast and physical."

And at a Pro Bowl level.

Click here to order Bryant McKinnie’s proCane Rookie Card.



(startribune.com)