Bowman the lion: “I wouldn’t say I knew I was this good.”

SANTA CLARA — NaVorro Bowman reclines at his locker like a lion lying in the grass. He sits on a stool and leans back with his eyes closed, almost like he’s sleeping.

He doesn’t waste a single movement – he’s all potential. In a sense, he’s waiting to happen, and we’ve seen this year what happens when he happens.

He spoke this morning about his on-field mentality and his locker room demeanor. Here’s what he said.

Q: Are you and Patrick Willis competitive with each other in the game?

BOWMAN: What do you mean? What are you talking about?

Q: Let’s say you make a good play, or he gets one, do you feel you’ve got to equal that or top that?

BOWMAN: Not in a negative way. We’re playing the game just to have fun. We enjoy making plays. To see him make a play, I get excited about it, and it pops in my mind, “Maybe I can get one.” It’s all fun and games out there, like brotherly love out there when we’re playing next to each other. We’re excited to be able to do some of the same things.

Q: You’re having an extraordinary year. Did you know you were this good a year or two ago?

BOWMAN: I wouldn’t say I knew I was this good, but I knew I could help the team, help the defense, fill in a spot and maybe make some of the plays that I saw being missed. You gotta wait your turn. That’s what I did, and I’m just excited about the way things are going right now. I want to keep getting better every week.

Q: Do you feel this is your time?

BOWMAN: Yeah, I do. I feel like I waited my time. My rookie season’s over. That’s the time when you sit back, learn and not have too much responsibility on your shoulders, but this year I have a lot of responsibility and I owe that responsibility to my eleven teammates out there.

Q: I notice that you’re kind of leaning into your locker right now, like it’s an easy chair. You played a tough game yesterday, are you kind of tired today? Is that why you’re doing that?

BOWMAN: Yeah, I’m tired. I’m trying to figure out what I want to do right now, whether to go in, get treatment, get my body right or go outside and get a workout in. I’m going to figure it out in the next five minutes and get to moving.

Q: I see. You’re in a decision-making phase right now.

BOWMAN: Yeah.

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