Zackary Bowman (born November 18, 1984) is a retired
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wit ...
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create turnove ...
. He was drafted by the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...
in the fifth round of the
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft was the 73rd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 26 and April 27 ...
. He played
college football at
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the so ...
and New Mexico Military Institute. He has also played for the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisio ...
and
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pl ...
.
Early years
Bowman attended Batesburg-Leesville High in
Batesburg, South Carolina
Batesburg-Leesville is a town located in Lexington and Saluda counties, South Carolina, United States. The town's population was 5,362 as of the 2010 census and an estimated 5,415 in 2019.
History
The town of Batesburg-Leesville was formed in ...
, and later attended
Bartlett High School in
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage () is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska by population. With a population of 291,247 in 2020, it contains nearly 40% of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring ...
, and graduated in 2003.
College career
After Bowman attended
New Mexico Military Institute
New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) is a public military junior college and high school in Roswell, New Mexico. Founded in 1891, NMMI operates under the auspices of the State of New Mexico, under a dedicated Board of Regents that reports to the ...
, he attended
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (Nebraska, NU, or UNL) is a public land-grant research university in Lincoln, Nebraska. Chartered in 1869 by the Nebraska Legislature as part of the Morrill Act of 1862, the school was known as the Univer ...
. In his two seasons at Nebraska Bowman had a total of 56 tackles, 20 pass break ups, 3 interceptions, and he played in 22 games, 9 of which he started.
Bowman had to
redshirt
Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Red Shirts'' (film), a 1952 film about Anita Garibaldi by Franco Rossi
* Redshirt (stock character), originally derived from ''Star Trek'', a stock character who dies soon after b ...
the 2006 season due to torn
anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are also called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formation ...
in his left knee on the third day of fall practice and missed the season.
Professional career
Chicago Bears
The
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...
selected in the fifth round of the
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft was the 73rd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 26 and April 27 ...
. He made the team's opening day roster but was relegated to the practice squad to make room for guard Dan Buenning, who was acquired in a trade. The Bears signed Bowman off the practice squad in week seven, after their top three cornerbacks were ruled out of a game against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansio ...
due to injuries. Bowman played a crucial role in the Bears victory over the Vikings by recovering a fumbled punt in the endzone for a touchdown. Bowman sustained an injury in the fourth quarter, which should have left him sidelined for the remainder of the game, but he insisted on returning due to the Bears shallow depth at the cornerback position. He recorded his first career interception upon returning, which also prevented the Vikings from engineering a last second touchdown drive. Bowman required surgery to repair the injury he sustained during the game, and was placed on the team's injury reserve for the remainder of the season. His efforts during the week merited him the "NFC Special Teams Player of the Week" Award.
In training camp 2009, coaches were very impressed with Bowman's abilities and play on the practice field. Despite missing most of the preseason with a hamstring injury, Bowman was expected to be a key part of the Bears secondary in 2009 with teammates
Nathan Vasher
Nathaniel DeWayne Vasher (born November 17, 1981) is a former American football cornerback who played seven seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Texas and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of ...
and
Charles Tillman
Charles Anthony Tillman (born February 23, 1981), nicknamed Peanut,Donnelly, MikeCharles Tillman - Not Your Typical 'Peanut'(January 18, 2007), nflplayers.com, Retrieved on July 25, 2007. is an American former professional football player who ...
.
In Week 2 of the regular season, Bowman took over Vasher's starting spot at cornerback. He recorded 66 tackles, six interceptions, and one forced fumble over the course of the season.
During the Bears 2010 mini camp, head coach
Lovie Smith
Lovie Lee Smith (born May 8, 1958) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). From 2004 to 2016, he served as the head coach of the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an ...
announced that Bowman would replace
Charles Tillman
Charles Anthony Tillman (born February 23, 1981), nicknamed Peanut,Donnelly, MikeCharles Tillman - Not Your Typical 'Peanut'(January 18, 2007), nflplayers.com, Retrieved on July 25, 2007. is an American former professional football player who ...
as the team's left side cornerback. In a typical
Cover 2
Zone coverage (also referred to as a zone defense) is a defense scheme in gridiron football used to protect against the pass.
Zone coverage schemes require the linebackers and defensive backs to work together to cover certain areas of the field ...
defense, team's will usually place their best cornerback on the left side of their defensive formations.
Minnesota Vikings
Bowman signed a one-year deal with the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansio ...
on March 26, 2012. On September 2, 2012, he was waived to make room for
A. J. Jefferson
Anthony Orange, previously named A. J. Jefferson (born April 4, 1988), is a Canadian football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Fresno State. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Cardinals ...
.
Second stint with Chicago
Bowman was later re-signed by the Bears. In Week 16 against the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division, an ...
, Bowman recovered
Beanie Wells
Christopher Michael Wells (born August 7, 1988), known as Chris Wells or Beanie Wells, is a former American football running back. He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round (31st overall pick) of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Ohio ...
' fumble in the endzone for a Bears touchdown, as the Bears won 28-13. In 2013, Bowman was an unrestricted free agent, but signed a one-year deal with the Bears. During the season, Bowman played in all 16 games while starting in seven, and recorded 49 tackles along with three interceptions.
New York Giants
On March 31, 2014, Bowman signed a one-year deal with the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisio ...
.
Miami Dolphins
On April 13, 2015, Bowman signed a deal with the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pl ...
. He was released on September 6, however, re-signed later that day. He was waived on November 24.
PRESS RELEASE: Dolphins Make Roster Moves
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Personal life
Bowman was a sociology major and earned his degree in December 2007. He is married and has three sons.
References
External links
New York Giants bio
Minnesota Vikings bio
Chicago Bears bio
Nebraska Cornhuskers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowman, Zackary
1984 births
Living people
Players of American football from Anchorage, Alaska
Players of American football from Columbia, South Carolina
American football cornerbacks
American football safeties
Nebraska Cornhuskers football players
Chicago Bears players
Minnesota Vikings players
New York Giants players
Miami Dolphins players