"Left tackle Jake Long was named a starter for the Pro Bowl on Tuesday, ensuring the Miami Dolphins wouldn't be shut out when they host the NFL's all-star game next month at Dolphin Stadium.

Left tackle Jake Long was named a starter for the Pro Bowl on Tuesday, ensuring the Dolphins won't be shut out when they host the NFL's all-star game next month at Dolphin Stadium.

Long, the first pick in the 2008 draft, made the Pro Bowl as an alternate last season. This year he earned the top honor by winning the fan voting and also getting the nod from his peers and coaches, whose votes make up the other two components of the selection process.

The 2010 Pro Bowl will be played at the Dolphins' home stadium on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m., the week before the stadium hosts the Super Bowl. This will be the first all-star game the NFL has played outside of Hawaii since 1979.

"I am looking forward to representing the Dolphins, especially since the game will be played in Miami. It will be a special thrill to run out of the tunnel onto our own field," Long said.

Long will be joined at tackle by Denver's Ryan Clady, who, like Long, is a first-round pick in his second NFL season, and Cleveland's Joe Thomas, who has earned the honor in each of his first three seasons.

Long has started all 31 games at left tackle for the Dolphins and joins Richmond Webb (1992-1995) as the only Dolphins offensive tackle to be named a Pro Bowl starter. Long becomes the first Dolphins offensive lineman selected to back-to-back Pro Bowls since Webb was named to seven straight from 1990-96.

Long was the only Dolphins player to make the initial Pro Bowl squad, but others might be added later as alternates due to injuries or as players are taken off the squad because their team is in the Super Bowl.

"His outstanding work ethic and desire to be the best player he can be is what sets him apart," coach Tony Sparano said of Long. "The entire Dolphin organization is proud of him. But there are other players on our team who I also thought should have been voted to the Pro Bowl, and I'm disappointed that they didn't make the team.""