The 49ers will be sending more players to the Pro Bowl this season than any team in the NFL for the second consecutive season. The revised format of this year’s Pro Bowl is designed to boost audience. …
Historically, the Pro Bowl has been a boring game, so the NFL is trying to shake things up this year. Instead of pitting the NFC against the AFC, two former 49ers, Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders will captain a team and pick squads. That could mean some 49ers playing against each other creating awesome match ups. Although the 49ers won more Pro Bowl spots than any team last year, not a single player played in the game as the team was in the Super Bowl. That remains a distinct possibility again this season as the 49ers are one of the favorites to make the big game. You can find the exact NFL bettings odds if you are curious of course, but either way, expect for a more interesting Pro Bowl.
Ahmad Brooks, Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, Justin Smith both NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis all made the squad as first string players. Willis has made the Pro Bowl every single year he has been in the league - he is that well respected around the league. Meanwhille, Bowman is in the running for defensive player of the year, and his ridiculous interception last weekend may have erased doubt from anybody’s mind. Also named Pro Bowl alternates are Anquan Boldin, Alex Boone, Andy Lee, Eric Reid, C.J. Spillman and Donte Whitner. How Phil Dawson didn’t make the cut, I really don’t know.
Of course, every 49ers fan is hoping that this year the 49ers will once again be unable to participate in the Pro Bowl. That would happen if the 49ers are travelling to New York to play in the Super Bowl … and winning that would easily be better than playing in the Pro Bowl.