Pro Bowl '09: Trio of Broncos Look to Impress Fans and Bring Pride to Denver

"One last, final last game." This Sunday, one last NFL game will be played, featuring the best players from the AFC facing off against their NFC counterparts. It is, of course, the Pro Bowl, the NFL's annual all-star contest.

This year will mark the final appearance of the event in Hawaii, as it is slated to move to Miami in 2010.

The Denver Broncos have sent multiple players to the Pro Bowl in past years, namely Champ Bailey and John Lynch among others. This year, a new set of Broncos will be representing the Mile High City, a trio of offensive players.

Receiver Brandon Marshall will start the game, lined up alongside Andre Johnson of Houston and catching passes from Peyton Manning, a nine-year veteran of the contest.

Jay Cutler will back up Manning, along with Kerry Collins of Tennessee. It is Cutler's first Pro Bowl experience, and he has been writing a daily journal of his activities.

The third and final Bronco is veteran center Casey Wiegmann. Wiegmann secured his first career Pro Bowl roster spot after Kevin Mawae opted out. Casey will finally be rewarded for his 12 seasons of NFL service and his performance as one of the anchors of the stellar '08 Broncos offensive line.

John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens coaching staff will guide the AFC, while Philadelphia's Andy Reid and his staff will coach the NFC. It is customary for the staffs of the two Super Bowl runner-up teams to make the trip to Hawaii.

Cam Cameron will be running the AFC's offense, and Cutler has expressed his excitement about having fun with a different playbook.

The week is not all about football, though, the players typically have the entire afternoon to themselves.

Cutler describes some of the fun the players have during their free time, "I knew something was up when [Kris] Dielman and Nick [Mangold] asked me for my phone when we were standing by the pool. I didn’t think anything of it, foolishly, and being a Pro Bowl rookie, I gave it to them. As soon as they got it, they pushed me right into the pool, shirt and sunglasses and everything. They had a pretty good time with it. Rookie initiation. Thanks, guys."

Aside from the pranks, Jay has also gotten to meet some past and current NFL legends, "I also got to meet Archie Manning for the first time on Tuesday. That was pretty cool. Talk about a quarterback family. At one point, it was Archie, Peyton, Eli and myself talking. All SEC guys."

The Pro Bowl is also a great opportunity for players to showcase their talents, as the offensive coordinators typically "open up" the playbook and allow selected fans to choose a play.

In any case, it is a good opportunity for Cutler, Marshall, and Wiegmann to represent the Broncos and the city of Denver, make new friends around the league, and relax in a beautiful island paradise while still practicing their football skills and staying in shape.

This year's game looks to be a good one, especially for Bronco fans who will be expecting to see Cutler and Marshall "light it up."