LB Derrick Brooks was selected for his eight consecutive Pro Bowl this year but will not play in the game
Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks will not play in the 2005 Pro Bowl.
Brooks has withdrawn from the NFL's all-star game due to knee tendinitis and will be replaced on the NFC roster by the Carolina Panthers' Mark Fields, the first alternate at outside linebacker.
Brooks' ailment is not considered serious and will not require surgery. He has lingering soreness from the 2004 season but is not expected to be limited during the Bucs' 2005 offseason program.
Brooks was named to his eighth straight Pro Bowl on December 22. He was then announced as a starter for the seventh consecutive season on January 8 during the NFL's Wild Card weekend. Brooks has never missed a regular season or playoff game during his 10-year NFL career, but he has endured nagging injuries on several occasions in order to finish a season.
Brooks is one of only five players in NFL history who have earned eight Pro Bowl berths, won a Super Bowl and been named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The others are Jack Lambert, Mike Singletary, Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White.
Tampa Bay will still be represented in the Pro Bowl by Ronde Barber, one of the NFC's two starting cornerbacks. Barber will be playing in his second Pro Bowl.
The 2005 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, February 13 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.