Brian Burns’ path to his third career Pro Bowl selection began at the third practice of training camp.
With temperatures approaching triple digits, Burns chased down a long catch-and-run by tight end Greg Dulcich and collided with wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who lost a tooth on the play.
Burns didn’t have to do it, but the hustle play was shown in team meetings and set the standard for what was to come for the team captain.
“If I’m going to run to the ball, you better run to the ball,” Burns said at the time. “So, I can’t sit here and preach ‘run to the ball’ and get on people’s cases if I’m not doing it. There’s going to be times where I’m not going to do it and I need them to get on me, but you can’t get on me if you aren’t doing it. It’s holding each other accountable.”
Burns laid on the grass for a minute on that late July afternoon, took a breath, tried to see what was really hurting, and then got back up. He was ready to go for practice the next day.
What followed was the best season of his career and one that rivals any by a Giant in recent memory.
Burns today was voted to the 2026 Pro Bowl Games. It is his third career selection, first with the Giants, and he will be a starter for the NFC squad. Burns also made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2022 as a member of the Carolina Panthers.
Burns finished first in the NFC in fan voting at outside linebacker and second league-wide behind Denver’s Nik Bonitto.
Pro Bowl selections are determined by the consensus votes of fans, players, and coaches, with each group’s vote counting as one-third. The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches, and players to determine its all-star teams.