John Henderson is happy to be going back to the Pro-Bowl, even as an alternate.
"It's an honor. They want me back. That's exciting. You want to be elected, but just to get in is great, too. Either way is great," the Jaguars defensive tackle said.
Henderson is coming off what is believed to have been the best season of his five-year career. He was third on the team in sacks with 3.5 and anchored a defense that finished second overall and fourth against the run, despite having been without defensive tackle mate Marcus Stroud and middle linebacker Mike Peterson for most of the season.
This will mark Henderson's second Pro-Bowl appearance. He was first alternate at defensive tackle this season and got the nod when Patriots defensive tackle Richard Seymour declined to play due to an injury.
Henderson's career has blossomed in the Jack Del Rio era, after being made the ninth overall pick of the 2002 draft by then-coach Tom Coughlin. The pick was criticized because at 6-7 Henderson was said to play too high. There are no criticisms now.
"It didn't concern me. You show me a person who doesn't play high," Henderson said.
"I'm not about me. I'm about the guys; getting where Peyton (Manning) is right now," Henderson added, referring to the Super Bowl.
"We're just a little off. It's there. People see it. They ask me, 'what happened to y'all?' I ask myself that all of the time. Did you do everything you can? That's what I ask myself," he added.
The answer is obviously yes.
