"As of Friday, the only part of the Dolphins that will be a part of the Jan. 31 Pro Bowl is its home stadium.

Left offensive tackle Jake Long, an AFC starter and the only Dolphin in the game so far, pulled out because of an unspecified injury, the NFL announced on its website. The first alternate at tackle, Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, moved onto the AFC's roster. Ironically, last year Long played in the game as a rookie because Buffalo's Jason Peters stepped down because of injury.

The Pro Bowl, being played on the U.S. mainland for the first time since 1979 and in Miami for the first time since 1975, last featured Dolphin-free football in 2007. Defensive end Jason Taylor was tapped for the AFC roster but did not go. The same thing happened with cornerback Sam Madison and linebacker Zach Thomas in 2001 and defensive tackle Tim Bowens in 1998. You would have to go back to 1997 to find a season in which the Dolphins did not have a player selected.

Though Long started all 16 games this season, there was suspicion among some in the media that he was nursing an injury. Yet Long never appeared on the Dolphins' injury report. When asked about it, he denied having any injury, although it should be said that the Dolphins fine players for talking to the media about their injuries.

``I think personally I've got ten better as the year went on,'' Long said last week. ``I still have a long way to go, I'm never satisfied with how I play, but I think I'm making strides every game.''"