Mario Williams was only joking, but apparently he's needed to get off his chest for a while.

"I told you so," the Houston Texans defensive end said before doubling over with laughter soon after being selected to his first Pro Bowl on Tuesday.

The selection completes a nearly three-year journey from draft-day laughingstock to starter in the NFL's all-star game. Williams leads the Texans with 11 sacks and has four forced fumbles this season.

He has been a key in leading the defensive improvement of a team that has won a franchise-record four straight games, capped by Sunday's 13-12 win over AFC South champion Tennessee.

Andre Johnson, who leads the NFL with 1,408 yards receiving, was also selected. It is the third time he's been picked and his second as a starter.

When the Texans passed on hometown hero Vince Young and fan favorite Reggie Bush to grab Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in 2006, many declared it the biggest mistake in draft history. Williams was booed by fans on draft day and criticized throughout his rookie season as he finished with 4 sacks while dealing with a painful foot ailment.

He said he doesn't hold a grudge against any of the people who criticized him.

"You can't satisfy everybody and if you're going to go through the world saying, 'Oh well I hope they don't boo me' or whatever, and worrying about what people are saying, you're not going to make it too far," he said. "So my whole thing is that whatever is going to be said is going to be said. Everybody has their own opinion and there's always two sides to everything."

Williams is the only one of the top three picks from 2006 to make the Pro Bowl this season, with Young relegated to backup duty and Bush missing four games with a knee injury.

Johnson said he understood why Bush was the fan favorite with all his dazzling highlight reel plays in college, but that Williams has proven his value to the Texans.

"Of course (Bush) had all the hype so everybody was going to want him," Johnson said. "But Mario, if you ask anybody that was at that game on Sunday who would they want on their team, I bet you they would say Mario Williams."

Peyton and Eli Manning became the first quarterback playing brothers chosen for the same all-star game. Peyton will make his ninth appearance in 11 seasons with the Colts and will start for the AFC. It will be the first appearance for the younger Eli, the Super Bowl MVP for the New York Giants who will play for the NFC team.

The Giants also landed the oldest Pro Bowler ever, 44- year-old kicker John Carney, who was signed at the start of the season as a short-term fill-in for the injured Lawrence Tynes. He has made 27 of 29 field goals.

The New York Jets led all teams with seven Pro Bowlers, including quarterback Brett Favre, who will be in his 10th Pro Bowl and his first representing the AFC. There will be six each from the Giants, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee.