NFL Pro Bowl selections: Joe Staley, Mike Iupati represent 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers play their final regular season game on Sunday, but there is a chance we see one or more players playing next month in the Pro Bowl. Voting results were announced tonight, and the 49ers have a small contingent potentially representing them in Arizona. This year, the 49ers are represented by left tackle Joe Staley and left guard Mike Iupati. The game will be played January 25 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

The 49ers also had five alternates named, including Antoine Bethea, Alex Boone, Chris Borland, Frank Gore and Justin Smith. A lot of these players are going to back out of the game, so it is entirely possible we see some of the 49ers alternates get bumped up. I would imagine Borland would not play if bumped up, but we'll see. This is the second straight year a 49ers rookie has been named a starter or alternate.

The most notable result of all this is that Patrick Willis is not on the Pro Bowl roster for the first time in his career. It is not a surprising development, but it is still disappointing given what he has done thus far in his career.

The 49ers had a league high ten players selected to last year's Pro Bowl, but only Eric Reid participated in the game. Considering it was a week after their loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the lack of participation should not be shocking. Aside from Reid, other 49ers voted into the Pro Bowl as either starters or alternates were Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Justin Smith, Ahmad Brooks, Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman and Donte Whitner.