San Francisco 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman is now 4-for-4 in his career as a starter.
Bowman, in his first season back from a knee injury that wiped out a complete season, picked up where he left off with one of the NFL's most-prestigious honors.
Bowman was named to the Associated Press All-Pro first team for the fourth time in his career. Bowman was selected first-team All Pro in his three seasons as a starter prior to the left knee injury he sustained in the NFC Championship game in Seattle in January 2014.
Despite experiencing ups and downs throughout the season, Bowman played in all 16 games for the 49ers this season and led the NFL in tackles with 154. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl team for the third time in his career.
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“To get out there and move the way I was moving prior to the injury and receive the respect I’ve received from players throughout the league continued to motivate me and drive me,” Bowman said after the final game of the season. “I didn’t get down on the missed tackles that I made. I had several missed tackles this year where I felt I could have made them but I didn’t. Guys were still pushing me and saying that I was doing a good job. All of those things continue to drive me to fight throughout the year.
“Probably since Week 8, I’ve put the pressure on myself to go into this offseason and get back to the form I was once at and this body will be put through a tremendous workout every single day.”
Oddly, Bowman was not named the winner of the Bill Walsh Award for the team MVP in a vote of the 49ers’ coaches. That honor went to kicker Phil Dawson. Bowman was named the winner of the team's Ed Block Courage Award.
