New coworkers Jim Harbaugh and NaVorro Bowman share a history that goes beyond their current partnership. While now, Bownman is glad to be back working with his former coach, the two had to go through a separation when Harbaugh’s tenure with the 49ers ended in 2014, while Bowman was still serving as a linebacker for the team. And the newly minted Chargers linebackers coach took his coach’s departure back then especially hard.
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Over the years, a chorus of athletes have sung Harbaugh’s praises due to his abilities to cultivate belief, forge bonds, and earn the trust of the players he coaches. Of course, it is hard for players when those bonds are eventually broken. For Bowman, who was already going through a hard time owing to an injury, returning to the field without Harbaugh’s motivating presence was not easy.
NaVorro Bowman went on to share how down he felt when Harbaugh abruptly left the 49ers back in 2014 to reporters during the team’s OTAs presser:
“I love playing with him, playing for him. When I was in SanFran, we all were sad when he left. So, I took a hiatus and took 5 years away from football and I couldn’t get it out of my head. So, I didn’t want to jump back to it so fast. So, I went to the college level.”
Over the next couple of years, Bowman gave it his absolute best, but more injuries coupled with some locker room misunderstandings made for a rocky road without Harbaugh’s steady leadership. Eventually, the frustrating point of time in his career led Bowman to call it quits and a subsequent 5-year break from football.
These days, NaVorro Bowman can barely contain his excitement at being reunited with his former mentor, Jim Harbaugh. He also discussed how blessed he felt for the opportunity to work alongside the Chargers HC again.
"Blessed to be here. Blessed for [Jim Harbaugh] to believe in me to do this job. I'm attacking it like I should."
NaVorro Bowman's return to the NFL has been one he's approached the same as when he was playing.
More on #Chargers LB coach's new journey:https://t.co/WbmN7bTxjQ pic.twitter.com/dHM4dgxdBB
— Omar Navarro (@OmarNavarro____) May 21, 2024
During that 5-year hiatus from football, Bowman surely missed having a leader like Harbaugh guiding him. Now that they’ve reconnected, he is determined to soak up every bit of wisdom Harbaugh can impart.
NaVorro Bowman Opens Up on Learning From Jim Harbaugh’s Playbook
This coaching experience is uncharted territory for NaVorro Bowman. As a player, he witnessed Harbaugh’s craft from one perspective. But now, stepping into the coaching ranks himself, Bowman is gaining a whole new appreciation for the demands of molding athletes at the highest level.
During the media sessions, one reporter posed the question – how does it feel to be learning under Harbaugh’s tutelage once again, and what is their dynamic like these days? To which he replied:
“I mean I left it all out there, you know, on the field, for him. Just his pregame speeches and how he prepared us throughout the week. You just knew who I was coming to work for. So, you know, being able to understand his message and get his nod of approval on how I played.”
For Bowman, it’s not just about receiving Harbaugh’s tutelage anymore – now he feels he must pay it forward, to pass along the invaluable lessons he once soaked up as a player under Harbaugh’s guidance.
His goal is to cultivate an environment where athletes feel completely comfortable approaching him with questions, just as he always wished for in his playing days. Above all, Bowman believes he was simply made to be part of Harbaugh’s coaching system. Probably what even Coach Harbaugh aimed for.
