Archive: More on Hobbs' groin injury
PHOENIX - The only bowl Tom Brady and Randy Moss will play in this season is the Super Bowl.
The two were among the eight Patriots selected to play for the AFC in the Pro Bowl, but both informed the NFL they won't be making the trip to Hawaii for the game, which is Sunday.
AFC information manager Corry Rush confirmed that Brady and Moss have been replaced by Browns quarterback Derek Anderson and Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson. Rush said he was not aware of any other Patriots who would not be attending.
The other Patriots Pro Bowlers are cornerback Asante Samuel, linebacker Mike Vrabel, nose tackle Vince Wilfork, center Dan Koppen, guard Logan Mankins, and left tackle Matt Light. All but Light, who went last year, are first-time Pro Bowlers.
Brady, who was selected for the fourth time, appeared hampered by what has been reported as a high ankle sprain in the Patriots' 17-14 loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII Sunday. He was sacked a season-high five times.
Moss, who had just one touchdown catch in the playoffs, which came in the Super Bowl, was limping as he departed his podium for the post-Super Bowl news conferences. In the postseason, Moss had seven catches for 94 yards and didn't look like the same player who hauled in an NFL-record 23 touchdown receptions and racked up a franchise-record 1,493 receiving yards on 98 receptions.
The Patriots said both players opted out because of ankle injuries.
Brady, who set the NFL record for touchdown passes with 50, had hinted in a radio interview recently that he did not plan on attending the Pro Bowl.
Citing an anonymous source, Foxsports.com reported that cornerback Ellis Hobbs will undergo surgery this week for a groin injury he suffered earlier in the season and aggravated during the first quarter Sunday.Hobbs was beaten on Plaxico Burress's decisive score, a 13-yard catch with 35 seconds left. Hobbs appeared either slow to or unable to change direction suddenly on the play. After the game, Hobbs, who had a second-quarter interception, alluded to Patriots being hurt, but he didn't mention a specific injury he was dealing with.
"A lot of us played hurt and some of us are going straight from here to the surgery table," said Hobbs.
Hobbs, who finished seventh in the NFL in kickoff-return average (26.0) during the regular season, did not return kicks during the Super Bowl as that duty fell to Laurence Maroney. Hobbs also was replaced by Chad Jackson on kickoff returns in the Patriots' 31-20 divisional-round victory over the Jaguars Jan. 12.
Mercury Morris, who has been the most outspoken of the '72 Dolphins, said he was happy for the Giants.
"They were the ones who did it, and they deserve to win because they did what it took to win, which is exactly what we did 17 times in 1972.
"I guess people who weren't around then and don't understand that we are so proud of the fact, not that the Giants knocked off the Patriots, but that people now will get an idea that the only way you can go undefeated is to win every game."
Larry Little, a lineman on that great '72 team, took the high road.
"We never wanted to see the Patriots or any other team lose. We are just happy about our accomplishments," said Little. "Going an entire season without losing a game is a very proud accomplishment for the football team and the franchise. It goes to show you how tough it is to go undefeated through an entire season."
Charlie Savage of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
