When Fred Jackson was lost for the season with a broken fibula, the Buffalo Bills lost their only legitimate contender for the 2012 Pro Bowl. Even with injury substitutions, borderline Pro Bowlers weren't selected from the Buffalo squad. That doesn't mean that no players with Bills ties will be in Hawaii this weekend, however.
The AFC roster has one former Bills player in running back Willis McGahee. The former first round pick of Tom Donahoe will be making his second appearance, as he also made the Pro Bowl in his first year in Baltimore (2007). McGahee ran for 1,199 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Much like the AFC side, the NFC has a Pro Bowl running back who used to call Buffalo home. Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks is joined on the squad by former Bills linebacker London Fletcher and tackle Jason Peters. Peters made the Pro Bowl in both of his final two seasons with the Bills, as well as all three years since he's been a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. This is Fletcher's third straight Pro Bowl as a member of the Washington Redskins. Lynch is making his first trip to Hawaii since his 2008 Pro Bowl nod while still with Buffalo.
Of the Pro Bowlers, only Peters was actually voted onto the squad. The rest of the former Bills were additions to the roster due to injury or Super Bowl appearances by the elected participants.
The coaching staffs also feature some former Bills coaches. Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements was the Bills' offensive coordinator in 2004 and 2005, when McGahee posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. (Clements also played one season for then-Chiefs coach Marv Levy in Kansas City.)
The Houston Texans coaching staff is leading the AFC roster, and former Bills defensive coordinator and head coach Wade Phillips serves the defensive coordinator role. Joining him on the staff is defensive line coach Bill Kollar, who is also the team's assistant head coach. Kollar coached the defensive line in Buffalo for three seasons before joining the Texans.
You can see the game on NBC at 7 PM this Sunday from Honolulu, if you are so inclined.