I'm tired of waiting for a head coach decision that does not appear to be coming today, so, it's time to look at the fact that Jake Long has pulled out of next week's Pro Bowl. This is not a surprise, given Long tore his bicep and had to be placed on injured reserve this year.
Long battled through injury throughout the year, and, at least for Dolphins fans, had a down season. Long is normally one of the top two left tackles in the game, and, even when he is not his stellar self, is still good enough to beat out the rest of the AFC for one of two starters at tackle. The Cleveland Browns' Joe Thomas earned the other starting position.
Long came into the season missing the entire preseason, trying to finally heal from a knee injury suffered during the 2010 season. With the offseason lockout, Long was unable to utilize the Dolphins' rehab facilities, and it showed at the start of the year. Once Long finally looked healthy, the dominating left tackle returned - only to have him suffer a lower back injury. For the first time in his career, Long was forced to miss games. Then in Week 16, Long tore his bicep and was placed on injured reserve for the final game of the year.
Wide receiver Brandon Marshall, the Dolphins other Pro Bowl selection for the year, plans to participate in the exhibition game. The game will be held January 29, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Dolphins also have several alternates for the game, including linebackers Cameron Wake and Karlos Dansby, rookie center Mike Pouncey, and nose tackle Paul Soliai. Any of them could still be named to the game, depending on which teams win the Conference Championship games this week and advance to the Super Bowl on February 5, or any additional players who drop out of the game due to injury.