Moss & Brady To Skip The Pro Bowl

[Big Bid'Ness]

From:ESPN.com

Anderson, Winslow recipients of Pro Bowl invites after Brady, Moss decline

Browns quarterback Derek Anderson will replace New England's Tom Brady and Cleveland tight end Kellen Winslow will sub for San Diego's Antonio Gates on the AFC's roster for the Pro Bowl in Honolulu.

Brady's top target this season, wide receiver Randy Moss, has also decided to skip the Feb. 10 game. Cincinnati's Chad Johnson will replace Moss, who caught five passes for 62 yards and a touchdown in New England's 17-14 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday night.


Brady, who was sacked five times by the Giants and pounded throughout the Super Bowl, has been bothered by a tender ankle. In a release, the Browns did not provide a reason for Anderson replacing the Patriots star.

With Anderson and Winslow making the trip, the Browns will have six players in the Pro Bowl, the club's most since sending six in 1994.

Johnson will accompany teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who was picked for his first Pro Bowl. It will mark the first time a pair of Bengals receivers reached the Pro Bowl together.

Johnson is coming off a most unhappy season in Cincinnati, where his self-promotion has worn thin on coaches, teammates and fans. He stopped talking to the local media after a columnist suggested the team might be better off without him.

The flamboyant receiver was in Arizona leading up to the Super Bowl and, in numerous interviews, made it clear he's unhappy in Cincinnati. The Bengals have said repeatedly that he won't be traded.

Johnson has four years left on his contract, which was extended in April 2006. He will make $3 million in base salary next season, and can make $18.5 million over the rest of the deal.

He caught 93 passes for a club-record 1,440 yards and eight touchdowns last season. He also became the team's career leader in catches and yards.

Anderson, who began the season as Charlie Frye's backup with the Browns, threw for 3,787 yards and 29 touchdown passes while going 10-5 as a starter for Cleveland. The team was edged out of a playoff spot because of a tiebreaker.

Despite playing on bad knees and with a separated shoulder, Winslow led the Browns with 82 receptions and had 1,106 receiving yards, the most by a Cleveland tight end. He'll undergo another surgery -- his fourth since 2004 -- on his right knee after the Pro Bowl.

Winslow had postponed the operation in anticipation of replacing Gates, who sustained a toe injury during the playoffs.

Anderson and Winslow will join Browns kick returner Joshua Cribbs, wide receiver Braylon Edwards, long snapper Ryan Pontbriand and offensive tackle Joe Thomas in Hawaii. Before this season, the Browns had not had a player selected for the Pro Bowl since linebacker Jamir Miller in 2001.

"We're excited the Browns will have such a presence at the Pro Bowl this year," general manager Phil Savage said in a statement.

The Browns recently offered Anderson, who is scheduled to become a restricted free agent, a multiyear contract. If he does not accept the deal, the club is expected to sign him to a one-year $2.6 million tender.

Anderson is the first Cleveland quarterback to make the Pro Bowl since Bernie Kosar in 1987.

 

[The Guid]

I guess in a way it could be a bit "sore loser-ish" but I'd like to go the "romantic" route and think that they thought they weren't worthy after their performance yesterday...

 

[MapleLeaf]

or they just want to get away from the media and game

i would have done the same too

 

[The Guid]

or they just want to get away from the media and game

i would have done the same too

Actually didn't think of that

 

[Whisper]

I would definitely expect this from Moss, but Brady? Seems Moss has made more of an impact on the team then what just happens on the field.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Actually didn't think of that

meh it's what dirk did after the warriors series

 

[Gtown81]

I agree with Maple Leaf here, these guys have had the media all up in there face, they just need some time off

 

[.GR]

Sweet!
Casey Hampton FTW!

 

[Cejis33]

Dont blame them. They are just gonna have the media all over them.

 

[$tunna]

I'm glad Chad Johnson gets a spot

 

[ZigZag]

Lawlz such horrible losers. OH NOEZ WE LOST!!

 

[bulls12]

6 Browns players on the roster this year. wow. Anderson deserves the spot, his stats had nearly matched Roethlisberger's up till about week 16 or so. I wonder when the last time a Super Bowl winning quarterback didn't get to go to Honolulu.

 

[.GR]

Super Bowl XL?
Rethlisberger didnt go!

 

[bulls12]

Super Bowl XL?
Rethlisberger didnt go!

oh really? I thought he was in the Pro Bowl that year... that comes as a surprise to me.

 

[.GR]

oh really? I thought he was in the Pro Bowl that year... that comes as a surprise to me.

Nope. It was only his second year and he missed like 4 or 5 games that year.

 

[Gtown81]

6 Browns players on the roster this year. wow. Anderson deserves the spot, his stats had nearly matched Roethlisberger's up till about week 16 or so. I wonder when the last time a Super Bowl winning quarterback didn't get to go to Honolulu.

Joe Thomas was a big part of Anderson's success

 

[JoshHoward5]

Joe Thomas was a big part of Anderson's success

Having Braylon Edwards didn't hurt either.

But I really think that Brady and Moss should of gone to the Pro Bowl. They need to suck it up, and take it like a man. I mean skipping the Pro Bowl isn't going to stop all this media attention, they just need to roll with the blows early. They are going to hear about this until the win another Super Bowl.

BTW you didn't see Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk miss the Pro Bowl after the Pats upset them. I don't believe that game was a bigger upset then this, but it was a pretty big one.

 

[sheed]

Nothing new, they're sore losers.

 

[RipCity32]

I would skip it too if I was them.

 

[Mexi]

meh, its not like anyone watches the Pro Bowl anyways...