The San Francisco 49ers will have at least two representatives at the NFL's annual postseason all-star game, with Willis and Lee earning their first Pro Bowl selections yesterday for their outstanding seasons. Willis is the NFL's leading tackler, and Lee has the best net punting average in league history.

Lee has just two games left in arguably the greatest season ever for a punter, yet the 49ers' best foot wasn't sure he'd go forward to Honolulu. For all of his accomplishments in four NFL seasons, the soft-spoken South Carolina native is an unknown even by punting standards.

"I tried to keep it out of my mind as much as possible," said Lee, who got the news over the phone from coach Mike Nolan while driving home. "I would be lying if it wasn't in my head a little bit. I think as it got closer and closer to it, as much as I tried to put it out of my mind, trying not to worry about it ... even my wife, Rachel, she would talk to me about it from time to time.

"I'd tell her, 'Please, I don't want to talk about that,' because I just didn't want that to be in my head and pressure me more in other games that I was playing."

Lee hasn't shown any effects of the pressure while compiling a 48.3-yard average and a stunning 42.4-yard net average this season. No punter or team has carried a net average of 40 yards or more since 1976, when the NFL first kept track of the statistic.

Lee had his breakout season last year, raising his average more than 3 yards from his first two NFL seasons. He has added 4 more yards to his average this season after the 49ers matched the Pittsburgh Steelers' six-year, $7 million contract offer to the former Pitt punter last winter.

Lee is all but certain to break Tommy Davis' franchise record average of 45.8 yards, set in 1965. If his net average also puts him in the NFL record books, he'll attribute it to maturity along with his improved skill.

"As far as my technique goes, it's getting more and more solid," Lee said. "I hit balls better. My bad hits are going further. I don't think my leg has gotten any stronger, or I don't think I can hit the ball any further. I'm just more consistent with hitting a good punt."

Lee supplanted former University of Hawaii punter Mat McBriar on the NFC All-Star team.

Willis leads the NFL with 142 tackles — 20 more than Detroit's Ernie Sims, the next-closest tackler. The Mississippi product's rookie season has been one of the 49ers' brightest developments, and Willis remained humble about his achievements even after Nolan announced his selection in a team meeting.

"The whole time I just kept an open mind, because I know that I'm a rookie," Willis said. "I know sometimes, being the younger guy, they always say 'Well, he has a while, so maybe we'll just wait 'til next year and see what he does next year.' So I just kept an open mind, and if I didn't make it, I'd just continue to work and work even harder."