Texans LB Brian Cushing was one of three rookies originally selected to the Pro Bowl when the AFC and NFC rosters were first announced in December.
Texans linebacker Brian Cushing will not play in the 2010 Pro Bowl. The 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year withdrew from from the game on Friday due to lingering injuries.
Cushing played through foot, knee and rib injuries along with a broken finger in the final games of his rookie season.
"I am really disappointed not to play in this year's Pro Bowl," Cushing said. "This was a long season and due to several injuries, specifically my knee and finger, we've made a decision to rest my body. My health is the most important thing at this point."
The Texans will still have a team-record four players in the Pro Bowl: wide receiver Andre Johnson, who will start in the game, along with linebacker DeMeco Ryans, defensive end Mario Williams and quarterback Matt Schaub. The game will be played in Miami, Fla., on Sunday, Jan. 31 at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Cushing was one of three rookies originally selected to the Pro Bowl when the AFC and NFC rosters were first announced in late December. He and Ryans were the only pair of linebacker teammates chosen for the NFL's annual all-star game.
A first-round draft pick out of USC, Cushing started all 16 games in 2009 and finished second in the AFC with 133 tackles. He also had four sacks, four interceptions and a safety. Cushing is a finalist for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year award, for which **fan voting** ends on Feb. 2.
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