Favre, Rivers pull out of Pro Bowl

Jan 21, 2009 - 4:09 PM NEW YORK (Tickers) -- Quarterbacks Brett Favre of the New York Jets and Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers have pulled out of the Pro Bowl due to injuries.

The NFL announced late Tuesday that Tennessee Titans quarterback Kerry Collins had been named to the AFC's Pro Bowl roster as a replacement. He originally was the No. 2 alternate at the position.

Collins, who led the Titans to a 13-3 record and the top seed in the AFC playoffs, will join Indianapolis' Peyton Manning and Denver's Jay Cutler as the AFC's three quarterback for the February 8 game in Honolulu.

The 39-year-old Favre, once again mulling retirement, was picked for the Pro Bowl despite a mediocre season in which he threw 22 touchdown passes and 22 interceptions.

During New York's late-season collapse in which the Jets dropped four of their last five games, Favre threw nine interceptions and just two TDs.

However, Favre's absence from the Pro Bowl is not considered a surprise as he ended the season with a shoulder injury. He frequently missed the game during his 16 years in Green Bay.

Rivers, originally the AFC's first alternate at quarterback, pulled out because of a sore knee, the Chargers said.

Rivers suffered a torn ACL in last season's playoffs but had no injury problems in 2008, delivering the best season of his five-year career.

Rivers passed for 4,009 yards - the NFL's fifth-best mark - and 34 touchdowns, which matched New Orleans' Drew Brees for the league lead.