Stephen Bowen (American football) facts for kids
Bowen with the Washington Redskins in 2011
|
|||||||||||
| No. 72 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | March 28, 1984 Holly Ridge, North Carolina, U.S. |
||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 300 lb (136 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Dix Hills (NY) Half Hollow Hills West | ||||||||||
| College: | Hofstra | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2006 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
Stephen Alexander Bowen (born March 28, 1984) is a former professional American football player. He played as a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). Stephen played for teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and New York Jets. Before joining the NFL, he played college football at Hofstra University.
Contents
Stephen Bowen's Early Life in Football
Stephen Bowen started playing football when he was just 7 years old. He played for the Baldwin Bombers in pee-wee football. Later, he joined the Roosevelt Rough Riders from ages 8 to 10. He then moved to North Babylon, New York, where his father coached him for many years.
High School Sports and Achievements
Stephen went to Half Hollow Hills High School West. There, he was a talented athlete in both football and basketball. In football, he played both running back (carrying the ball) and linebacker (stopping opponents).
During his senior year, Stephen had a great season. He ran for 235 yards and scored four touchdowns. He also caught passes for 330 yards and five touchdowns. On defense, he made 97 tackles.
In 2018, Stephen Bowen was honored for his sports career. He was added to the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame for American football.
Stephen Bowen's College Football Journey
Stephen Bowen earned a football scholarship to Hofstra University. At Hofstra, he changed his position to defensive end. He became a starter for three years.
Playing as a Defensive End
As a freshman, Stephen played in 5 games and made 3 tackles. In his second year, he played in 12 games. He recorded 49 tackles, including 9.5 tackles that stopped opponents for a loss of yards. He also had 3 sacks (tackling the quarterback) and recovered one fumble.
In his junior year, Stephen started as the right defensive end. He made 68 tackles and 3 sacks. By his senior year, he had 48 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He also made one interception, which he returned 31 yards for a touchdown. Stephen finished his college career with 168 tackles and 11.5 sacks.
Stephen Bowen's NFL Career Highlights
Stephen Bowen began his professional football career in 2006. He played for three different teams during his time in the NFL.
Playing for the Dallas Cowboys (2006–2010)
After the 2006 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys signed Stephen Bowen. He was an undrafted free agent, meaning no team picked him in the draft. He started on the team's practice squad. Later, he was moved to the main roster. He played in his first NFL game and got his first career sack.
In 2007, Stephen was a backup defensive end. He helped pressure opposing quarterbacks and made 23 tackles. In 2008, he played in 14 games and made 28 tackles.
In 2009, he played in all 16 games, starting two of them. He had a career-high 31 tackles and 3 sacks. In 2010, he played in all 16 games again. He started 9 games when another player was injured. He finished with 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Time with the Washington Redskins (2011–2014)
In 2011, Stephen Bowen signed a five-year contract with the Washington Redskins. He became the starting right defensive end. He played in all 16 games, even after suffering a knee injury. He set new personal bests with 41 tackles and six sacks.
Stephen received the team's Ed Block Courage Award. This award recognized his strength in dealing with his injury and personal challenges.
Overcoming Injuries and Leadership (2012)
In 2012, Stephen had surgery on his left knee to fix problems from his previous injury. Later that year, his teammates voted him a co-defensive captain. This showed they trusted his leadership.
He played through another injury, a torn biceps, in Week 14. In a key game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Stephen made a crucial play. He pressured the opposing quarterback, which helped the Redskins win the game. He finished the season with 51 tackles and 1 sack.
Battling Injuries (2013-2014)
In 2013, Stephen suffered another knee injury. He tried to play through it but had to be placed on injured reserve. This meant he couldn't play for the rest of the season. He needed surgery to repair his knee. He finished the season with 19 tackles.
In 2014, Stephen started the season on a special list for injured players. He returned to play in October. He appeared in 8 games, making 11 tackles. The Redskins released him in February 2015.
Final Season with the New York Jets (2015)
In 2015, Stephen Bowen signed with the New York Jets. He was a reserve player, meaning he often came off the bench. He played in 15 games. On June 1, 2016, Stephen announced his retirement from professional football. He signed a special one-day contract with the Washington Redskins to retire as a member of that team.
Stephen finished his NFL career playing in 128 games. He made 175 tackles and had 12.5 sacks.
NFL Career Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | COMB | TOTAL | AST | SACK | FF | FR | FR YDS | INT | IR YDS | AVG IR | LNG IR | TD | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | DAL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | DAL | 16 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | DAL | 14 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | DAL | 16 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 3.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2010 | DAL | 16 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 | WSH | 16 | 41 | 21 | 20 | 6.0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 | WSH | 16 | 25 | 12 | 13 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2013 | WSH | 10 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 | WSH | 8 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 | NYJ | 15 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 128 | 176 | 102 | 74 | 12.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Key to Statistics:
- GP: Games Played (how many games he played)
- COMB: Combined Tackles (total tackles he made)
- TOTAL: Total Tackles (tackles he made by himself)
- AST: Assisted Tackles (tackles where he got help from a teammate)
- SACK: Sacks (tackling the opposing quarterback behind the line of scrimmage)
- FF: Forced Fumbles (making an opponent drop the ball)
- FR: Fumble Recoveries (picking up a dropped ball)
- FR YDS: Fumble Return Yards (how many yards he ran after picking up a fumble)
- INT: Interceptions (catching a pass thrown by an opposing quarterback)
- IR YDS: Interception Return Yards (how many yards he ran after an interception)
- AVG IR: Average Interception Return (average yards per interception return)
- LNG: Longest Interception Return (his longest run after an interception)
- TD: Touchdowns (scoring a touchdown after an interception)
- PD: Passes Defensed (breaking up a pass, preventing it from being caught)
Stephen Bowen's Personal Life
Stephen Bowen married his college girlfriend, Tiffany Johnson, in 2008. They later divorced. They have three children together: a daughter named Trinity and twin boys, Stephen III and Skyler.
His twin sons were born early on June 28, 2011, the same day he signed with the Redskins. Sadly, Skyler passed away ten days later. In December 2011, Stephen won the Redskins’ Ed Block Courage Award. This award recognized his strength and courage during a very difficult time.
Stephen is also very good friends with former NFL defensive end Jason Hatcher. They both started their NFL careers with the Dallas Cowboys in 2006.
Images for kids
-
Bowen handling an Mk 19 grenade launcher at the Engagement Skills Trainer during his visit to Fort Bliss.
