Wide receiver Andre Johnson finished with 44 of a possible 50 votes from the AP panel to earn first-team All-Pro honors for the second consecutive season.
Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson and rookie linebacker Brian Cushing earned 2009 All-Pro honors from the *Associated Press *on Thursday.
Johnson, who led the league with 1,569 receiving yards, was named first-team All-Pro for the second consecutive season. Cushing, the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, earned second-team honors. He was the only rookie named either first- or second-team All-Pro.
Johnson became the first Texans player to receive multiple All-Pro nods.
"It's a tremendous honor," he said. "It's something that, as a personal goal, I try to always shoot for -- to be mentioned as one of the best at your position. It just goes to show that people are watching what you're doing out on the football field, and the things that you're doing, you're doing them right."
Johnson received 44 of a possible 50 votes from the AP panel, far more than the next-closest receivers. Wes Welker of the New England Patriots finished a distant second at the position with 20 votes. The Indianapolis Colts' Reggie Wayne (12) was the only other receiver with more than 10 votes.
Johnson's 44 votes were second-most among all offensive players. Only Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans, a unanimous All-Pro selection with 50 votes, had more.
The seventh-year receiver out of Miami (Fla.) had 101 catches and a career-high nine touchdowns in what was a historic season. Johnson became the second player in NFL history to lead the league in receiving yards in back-to-back seasons. He also became the second receiver ever with back-to-back 1,500-yard seasons.
{QUOTE}"When you do things right and you just go out on the field and give it your all, people recognize it, so that's something that I'll try to continue to do and hopefully people will keep recognizing what I'm doing," Johnson said. "I don't try to go out and do anything special. I just go out and play as hard as I can and do everything I can to help the team win. Like I said, it's a tremendous honor to just be mentioned."
Cushing, the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, earned five votes to finish third among outside linebackers. Denver Broncos linebacker Elvis Dumervil (46 votes) and the Dallas Cowboys' DaMarcus Ware (37) took first-team All-Pro honors.
A first-round draft pick out of USC, Cushing led the Texans with 133 tackles and had four sacks. His four interceptions and 10 passes defensed led all NFL linebackers. He earned All-Pro recognition ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison, the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs. Both players received three votes.
Texans middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans and strong safety Bernard Pollard also received All-Pro consideration. Ryans (four votes) finished sixth in voting at inside linebacker. Pollard (one vote) tied with three other players for seventh among all NFL safeties.
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