Gimpy Brady, Moss pass on Pro Bowl appearances

Pro Bowl News

Tom Brady and Randy Moss pulled out of the Pro Bowl yesterday, a day after the Patriots [team stats] were beaten in the Super Bowl.

After throwing a league-record 50 touchdown passes during the season, Brady was battered by the New York Giants during their 17-14 win Sunday. He has been bothered by a tender ankle and was photographed in New York wearing a protective boot two weeks prior to the Super Bowl.

Brady, who first injured his ankle against San Diego in the AFC Championship Game, was sacked five times by the Giants. He will be replaced by Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson.Moss, who caught a record 23 touchdown passes from Brady during the season, had five receptions for 62 yards and a TD in the Super Bowl. He will be replaced by disgruntled Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson.

San Diego tight end Antonio Gates and defensive tackle Jamal Williams also decided to skip the All-Star game on Feb. 10 in Honolulu.

Browns tight end Kellen Winslow will go in place of Gates, bringing the number of Browns players in the Pro Bowl to six, the club’s most since sending six in 1994. Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Casey Hampton takes Williams’ spot on the AFC roster, his third consecutive trip to Hawaii and fourth overall.

The Patriots have not said why either Brady or Moss opted out.

Anderson, who began the season as Charlie Frye’s backup, threw for 3,787 yards and 29 touchdowns while going 10-5 as a starter. Cleveland was edged out of a playoff spot because of a tiebreaker. The Browns did not provide a reason for Anderson replacing Brady.

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.

Johnson, making the trip to the Pro Bowl for the fifth straight year, made it clear in interviews in Arizona leading up to the Super Bowl, he’s unhappy in Cincinnati. The Bengals have said repeatedly Johnson, who has four years left on his contract, won’t be traded. Johnson caught 93 passes for a club-record 1,440 yards and eight touchdowns last season.