David Bowens life and biography

David Walter Bowens is an American football linebacker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Western Illinois.

Originally drafted by Denver in the fifth round (158th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft…Acquired by Green Bay via trade from Denver on February 24, 2000 in exchange for 2001 seventh-round pick…Acquired by Buffalo via trade from Green Bay on August 7, 2001 in exchange for Bobby Collins…Waived by Buffalo on September 2, 2001...Claimed by Washington on September 3, 2001…Released by Washington on September 26, 2001…Signed by Miami as a free agent on October 22, 2001…Signed by the New York Jets as an unrestricted free agent on March 29, 2007...Signed by Cleveland as an unrestricted free agent on March 12, 2009.

Became the defensive captain leading up to a Week 11 contest at Detroit after both D’Qwell Jackson and Eric Barton were lost for the season… Played in all 16 games with 15 starts… Accumulated 71 tackles, 5.5 sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and five passes defensed… Tackle and sack totals both were second on the team. Game 1 vs. Minnesota 9/13: Made his Browns debut, starting at outside linebacker… Amassed six tackles, including four solo… Game 2 at Denver 9/20: Did not start as Browns opened in nickel defense… Had two tackles, including one solo… Game 3 at Baltimore 9/27: Started and was credited with two tackles… Game 4 vs. Cincinnati 10/4: Started and posted a pair of stops… Game 5 at Buffalo 10/11: Started and registered two tackles… Game 6 at Pittsburgh 10/18: Started and had his most productive day of the season as he secured seven tackles, half a sack and a pass defensed… Also recovered a Rashard Mendenhall fumble at the Browns’ 15 in the third quarter… Game 7 vs. Green Bay 10/25: Was second on the team with eight tackles, including a stop of Aaron Rodgers on fourth-and-1 from the Browns’ 32, as he combined with Robaire Smith… Game 8 at Chicago 11/1: Started at inside linebacker… Posted four tackles… Game 9 vs. Baltimore 11/16: Led the team with nine tackles and two sacks of Joe Flacco, totaling nine yards… Sack total tied a career-high that he first achieved on November 27, 2005 at Oakland as a member of the Dolphins and tied last season against Arizona on September 28 as a member of the N.Y. Jets… Game 10 at Detroit 11/22: Opened at inside linebacker and collected six tackles, a sack and a forced fumble…Also combined with Kaluka Maiava for another sack on quarterback Matthew Stafford… Game 11 at Cincinnati 11/29: Started at inside linebacker and recorded five tackles… Game 12 vs. San Diego 12/6: Opened at inside linebacker and registered three tackles… Game 13 vs. Pittsburgh 12/10: In the 150th regular season game of his NFL career, recorded five tackles, including an 11-yard sack of Ben Roethlisberger… Had one additional tackle for loss… In addition, knocked down a Roethlisberger pass on fourth down on the Steelers’ final offensive play of the game to preserve the 13-6 victory… Game 14 at Kansas City 12/20: Notched seven tackles from his starting spot at inside linebacker… Game 15 vs. Oakland 12/27: Posted two tackles, an interception, a half-sack and two passes defensed… Interception came when he picked off a Charlie Frye pass and returned it 15 yards to the Raiders’ 17 on the opening series of the game, leading to a Jerome Harrison 17-yard TD run two plays later… Game 16 vs. Jacksonville 1/3: Had one tackle and a pass defensed.

College Highlights
Began his collegiate career at Michigan, where he played for two seasons before transferring to Western Illinois in 1998…Was Division I-AA All-America selection in lone season at Western Illinois, recording 134 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries...In sophomore season at Michigan (1996), set school single-season record with 12 sacks…Played one year of basketball for Michigan…Majored in accounting.

Personal
Played tight end and halfback at St. Mary’s High School in Orchard Lake, Michigan and lettered three times each in basketball and track…Was all-state pick in basketball and state champion in long jump (23'0") as sophomore…An avid bowler who carries 221 average and has high game of 275…Son of Frank Williams, who competed on Pro Bowlers Tour…Winner of Dolphins’ Ed Block Courage Award and PFWA “Good Guy” award in 2004…Created “The David Bowens Foundation” in 2005 to help kids who suffer from asthma and cystic fibrosis…The foundation will hold its inaugural bowling tournament in October of 2009…Helped raise more than $20,000 for victims of Hurricane Katrina…Enjoys cooking “soul food.”

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