NaVorro Bowman was selected in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft by first-year San Francisco 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke. With the addition of head coach Jim Harbaugh a year later, the team would go on its most successful three-year stretch of the past 20 years. Bowman was, quite literally, right in the middle of it. Starting alongside All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis, the two formed one of the greatest linebacker duos in NFL history.

His departure was less than ideal. In 2017, Bowman’s playing time began to diminish as the new regime wanted to move in a different direction. He eventually requested a trade, before being released mid-season after attempts to trade him failed. Bowman mended old wounds when he signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

Three straight NFC Championship games

When Jim Harbaugh became head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, it began a stretch of three consecutive NFC Championship game appearances, including one Super Bowl appearance. While Harbaugh is known as an offensive coach, there is no doubt the backbone of this stretch was an elite defense, led in part by Bowman.

2011

Bowman became a full-time starter in 2011. He wasted no time making his mark on the league. Bowman ranked third overall in Pro Football Focus’ linebacker grades and was named First-Team All-Pro. His defense did not allow a rushing touchdown through their first 14 games. The unit led the league in turnovers and was the second-best scoring defense behind the Pittsburgh Steelers, via Pro Football Reference. They finished 13-3, losing in overtime (20-17) in the conference championship to the eventual Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.

2012

Bowman earned another First-Team All-Pro selection in 2012. He tallied 148 tackles and ranked as PFF’s fourth-best linebacker, behind Patrick Willis, Bobby Wagner, and Lawrence Timmons. The 49ers unit finished third in yards per play allowed and once again found themselves as the second-ranked scoring defense in the league. San Francisco finished 11-4-1 that year and ended up winning the NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons. Bowman broke up a pass on the Falcon’s final play of the game, sending the franchise to their sixth Super Bowl. The 49ers fell short in the big game, losing to the Baltimore Ravens 34-31.

2013

The 2013 season marked Bowman’s third straight First-Team All-Pro selection. Bowman finished second in PFF’s LB grades, while the defense finished top ten in yards per play, turnovers, and third in scoring defense. I buried the lead here, however.

The 2013 season was to be the last season played at historic Candlestick Park. In the San Francisco 49ers’ final home game of the year, a Monday night affair with the Falcons, Bowman converted a game-sealing pick-6 off Matt Ryan in what has since been dubbed “The Pick at the Stick.” It was an electrifying moment, one that no doubt ranks at or near the top of Bowman’s career.

Bowman was able to parlay that performance into a strong postseason showing in road wins against the Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers. San Francisco would succumb to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game. Not only did the 49ers lose the game, but they would also go on to lose Bowman the following season following a gruesome leg injury in which his leg essentially snapped in half.

Final years

Despite missing all of 2014 and some having concerns about his health, Bowman came back full force in 2015. He earned his fourth First-Team All-Pro selection just one season removed from the frightening injury. Unfortunately, the winning days in San Francisco did not follow suit. The defense took a significant step back, as did the rest of the team. San Francisco would go on to finish 5-11 in their first year without Harbaugh.

2016 would not be any kinder to Bowman or the 49ers. Bowman tore his achilles in week four while the franchise bottomed out to the tune of a 2-14 record under head coach Chip Kelly. Kelly ended up being one and done, as the 49ers hired current head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch during the ensuing offseason. The duo’s first draft saw them select linebacker Reuben foster in the first round, which ultimately led to Bowman ceding playing time to the rookie. The 49ers ended up releasing Bowman in October of 2017 after he requested a trade. He would finish the year with the Oakland Raiders, before retiring in June of 2019.

What those years meant to me

The Harbaugh years will always hold a special place in my heart. I grew up a diehard 49ers fan, yet even though my earliest memory is Terrell Owens’ game-winning catch against the Packers in the 1998 wildcard round, I was not old enough to appreciate the Steve Young era of 49ers football. Aside from the early 2000’s Jeff Garcia teams, I only knew the Dennis Erickson, Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary era of 49ers football.

When Harbaugh came, and the 49ers made the playoffs for the first time since 2002, it was great. But it meant more to me in 2012.

In week 6 of that year, they lost to the Giants at home, 26-3, and I remember thinking, “It doesn’t matter what they do, they still can’t beat the Giants.” I went to Navy boot camp that year in November and was pleasantly surprised to see them in the playoffs upon my graduation on January 11th. Of course, they ended up winning the conference and losing to the Ravens in the Super Bowl. Still, seeing them in the Super Bowl, coming that close to winning it all was exceptional.

I left for my first deployment August of 2013, and while it may sound like missing the entire football season sucks, it gave me something to look forward to those first six months. By the time the playoffs rolled around, we had to stay up till about 1 AM to watch due to where we were in the world. The signal would cut in and out, the picture would be fuzzy most of the time, but that didn’t change the fact the 49ers were in the playoffs, giving me something to look forward to for an extra three weeks. The Harbaugh 49ers made my first deployment a little bit easier, and they will always be memorable to me for that reason.

Amending relationships

A month before he was released in 2017, Bowman sat down with 49ers beat writer Eric Branch about how he felt disrespected by the new regime. Branch transcribed the entire interview, and it is well worth a read. When asked if he had established a level of trust with Shanahan and Lynch, Bowman responded with this:

Not yet. Not yet. All that comes with winning. It comes with me earning their trust. Them doing their job. Me making plays and things like that. I can see how those things could start to happen. If the aura and morale wasn’t genuine, or it wasn’t a good fit, I would say ‘No. I’m not really feeling it.’ But the respect I have for Kyle, and understanding that he is, if not the best offensive coordinator, play-caller in the NFL. I think that’s something else that helps the trust that’s going to get built.

Well, just a month later, Bowman was in another uniform right across the bay. His time in San Francisco did not end the way he wanted to. However, that didn’t mean he lost love for the franchise. Bowman claimed he would consider retirement if traded, and when asked why he responded with this:

The game’s not that important to me to go somewhere else and try to breathe another color. Breathe another organization. I’ve been with this team for a long time. Seen the good and the bad. And that’s what I want my NFL career to be.

Despite the way it went down, Bowman still had a lot of respect and love for the organization. To see him sign the one-day contract and retire as a San Francisco 49er was heartwarming as a fan.

Parting thoughts

There is no telling where Bowman’s career might’ve ended up had he not suffered the injuries he did. At full strength, he was headed for a Hall of Fame career. However, because they didn’t win a championship, this era of 49ers football probably won’t be remembered by most. That alone doesn’t make Bowman’s career any less spectacular. Much like Brian Urlacher in his own franchise’s all-time rankings, Bowman will forever be underappreciated by this generation.

At the very least you have to put Willis and Bowman as the top of linebacker duo of their generation. However, that’s a topic for another day. I want to thank him for being part of my most enjoyable years as a 49ers fan. We’ll always have the “Pick at the Stick.” Thank you, NaVorro Bowman.