2008 Pro Bowl

{{Short description|National Football League all-star game}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{Infobox Pro Bowl

|type=pb

|name=2008

|image=2008 Pro Bowl logo.png

|visitor=AFC

|home=NFC

|visitor_qtr1=17

|home_qtr1=7

|visitor_qtr2=10

|home_qtr2=14

|visitor_qtr3=3

|home_qtr3=7

|visitor_qtr4=0

|home_qtr4=14

|date=February 10, 2008

|stadium=Aloha Stadium

|city=Honolulu, Hawaii

|visitor_coach=Norv Turner

|visitor_coach_team=San Diego Chargers

|home_coach=Mike McCarthy

|home_coach_team=Green Bay Packers

|MVP=Adrian Peterson

|MVPteam=Minnesota Vikings

|anthem=Kelly Rowland

|coin_toss=Will Shields and United States Navy Admiral Timothy J. Keating

|referee=Bill Carollo

|attendance=50,044{{cite web| url=http://www.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/29527/NFC_Gamebook.pdf|title=2008 Pro Bowl Gamebook |author=NFL.com|access-date=February 10, 2008|author-link=National Football League}}

|network= Fox

|announcers= Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa, and Brian Baldinger{{cite news

| url = http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/02/08/sports/maffei/22_09_122_7_08.txt

| title = Davis focuses on job with ESPN

| author = Maffei, John

| newspaper = North County Times

| date = February 8, 2008

| access-date = February 10, 2008}}

}}

The 2008 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2007 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 10, 2008. The game was televised in the United States by Fox and began shortly after 11:40am local time (4:40pm EST) following Pole Qualifying for 2008 Daytona 500. The NFC won, 42–30, despite a 17-point first half AFC lead. NFC running back Adrian Peterson rushed 16 times for 129 yards and was named the game's MVP, winning a Cadillac CTS in recognition of his efforts.

The starting rosters for the game were released on December 18, 2007, with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady starting for the AFC and the Green Bay Packers' Brett Favre for the NFC. However, Brett Favre withdrew due to an ankle injury. Notable Pro Bowl selections included the late Sean Taylor. The Dallas Cowboys had a record thirteen players named to the Pro Bowl roster, while five teams, including all four members of the NFC South, had no players initially named (Jeff Garcia of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was later chosen as a replacement quarterback for Brett Favre.) This was the first occasion since their 1–15 1980 season that the New Orleans Saints had no player make the Pro Bowl.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nor/all-pros.htm|title=New Orleans Saints All-Pros and Pro Bowlers|publisher=Pro Football Reference}} The AFC was coached by Norv Turner of the San Diego Chargers staff, while Mike McCarthy and the staff of the Green Bay Packers coached the NFC. Three Washington Redskins players (Chris Cooley, Chris Samuels and Ethan Albright) wore #21 in memory of Taylor, their deceased teammate.{{cite news

|url=http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080208/SPORTS04/802080385/1049/SPORTS04

|title=Redskins to honor fallen teammate

|author=Sakamoto, Kyle

|work=The Honolulu Advertiser website

|date=February 8, 2008

|access-date=February 9, 2008

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080214210019/http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20080208%2FSPORTS04%2F802080385%2F1049%2FSPORTS04

|archive-date=February 14, 2008 |url-status=live

}} The game featured 41 players appearing in their first Pro Bowl (out of 86 total players), the most in eight years.{{cite news | url = http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FBN_PRO_BOWL_FIRST_TIMERS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT | title = Fred Taylor among 41 Pro Bowl 'rookies' | publisher = Associated Press | author = Jaymes Song | date = February 9, 2008 | access-date = February 9, 2008 | archive-date = September 4, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200904092521/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FBN_PRO_BOWL_FIRST_TIMERS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT | url-status = dead }} In addition, the NFC played their first defensive play with only ten players on the field, lacking a free safety, in Taylor's honor.

On February 4, 2008, Brady, Patriots receiver Randy Moss, Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, and Chargers defensive lineman Jamal Williams decided to pull out of the 2008 Pro Bowl. Brady was replaced by Cleveland Browns quarterback Derek Anderson, Moss was replaced by Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson, Gates was replaced by Browns tight end Kellen Winslow, and Williams was replaced by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Casey Hampton.{{cite news|url=http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/776577,CST-SPT-nflnt05.article |title=Judge: Vick can keep bonus |publisher=Associated Press |date=February 5, 2008 |access-date=February 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080210024015/http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/776577%2CCST-SPT-nflnt05.article |archive-date=February 10, 2008 }}

The game was the most watched Pro Bowl since 2000, pulling in a Nielsen rating of 6.3 and a 12 share.{{cite news | url= https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/2008-02-12-1475841532_x.htm | title=Pro Bowl draws highest ratings since 2000 | publisher = Associated Press | date = February 12, 2008 | access-date = February 13, 2008}} It also marked the first ever Pro Bowl to be televised by Fox. The 2008 Pro Bowl also marked the fewest players represented by a Super Bowl winning team, with Osi Umenyiora being the lone representative of the New York Giants, winners of Super Bowl XLII.