Brock Bowers

Brock Bowers Bio

Brock Allen Bowers is an American professional football tight end for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Bowers played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he was a three-time All-American, two-time John Mackey Award winner, and won two national championships. He was selected by the Raiders in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, setting rookie season records for receptions in a season and the most receiving yards by a tight end, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in the process.

Early Life and Background

Bowers was born on December 13, 2002, in Napa, California. His parents met at Utah State University, where his mother was an All-American softball player who was later inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame and his father was an All-Big West center on the school’s football team. After graduating, his mother became a high school math teacher and softball coach, while his father founded a construction company. His sister plays softball at Sacramento State. Growing up, Bowers played a variety of sports including football, basketball, baseball, and soccer.

Bowers attended Napa High School in Napa, California, where he played football and basketball. As a freshman, he played quarterback for the school’s junior varsity team, running the triple option. Bowers joined the varsity team as a sophomore, playing tight end and linebacker, and received his first college offer from Nevada. Following his sophomore season, he attended a Nike camp where his athleticism gained the attention of college scouts and led to him receiving about a dozen offers.

Path to American Football

As a junior at Napa High School, Bowers accounted for 1,499 all-purpose yards and set a school record with 14 touchdown receptions, helping lead Napa to the state playoffs just one year after the team finished 0-10. For his efforts, he was named the Napa County Player of the Year. His senior season was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions in California, but he was still named to the All-American Bowl. Despite being from the West Coast, Bowers wanted to play college football in the South due to the region’s passion for the sport. He ultimately committed to play at the University of Georgia under Kirby Smart, citing his relationship with the team’s tight ends coach Todd Hartley and a desire to play as a freshman as additional factors in his commitment.

Brock Bowers Career

College Career at Georgia (2021–2023)

An early enrollee, Bowers arrived at Georgia in January 2021. As a true freshman, he was originally set to share playing time with fellow tight ends Darnell Washington and Arik Gilbert. However, Washington broke his foot and Gilbert stepped away from the team for personal reasons, leaving Bowers as the team’s primary option at tight end. In his first career game, Bowers led the Bulldogs in receiving with six catches for 43 yards in a 10-3 win over Clemson. The following week against UAB, he caught his first two touchdowns, including a career-long 89-yard reception, and recorded his first 100-yard performance in a 56-7 win. At the conclusion of his freshman season, Bowers was named SEC Freshman of the Year and was included on the All-SEC first team and All-American second team. He finished the season as Georgia’s leading receiver with 56 receptions for 882 yards and a program record 13 receiving touchdowns.

Following his strong freshman season, Bowers entered the 2022 season with high expectations and was named a preseason All-American. In the Bulldogs victory over Florida, Bowers recorded a career-high 154 receiving yards on five receptions, including an improbable 73-yard touchdown catch off a deflection which some media outlets dubbed the “catch of the season.” Following a victory over LSU in the SEC Championship, the undefeated Bulldogs advanced to the College Football Playoff as the no. 1 seed. In the Peach Bowl semi-final against Ohio State, Bowers caught four passes for 64 yards, including a crucial fourth-down conversion in the final quarter to extend an eventual touchdown drive. In the championship game, he caught a season-high seven passes for 152 yards and a touchdown to help Georgia capture their second consecutive national championship in a 65-7 blowout of TCU. At the conclusion of his sophomore season, Bowers was named a first-team All-American and won the John Mackey Award for the nation’s best tight end.

In 2023, Bowers won the John Mackey Award again, making him the only two-time winner for that award. He won the award despite missing three games in 2023 due to an ankle injury. He still led Georgia in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, something he accomplished in all three of his seasons at UGA. In 10 games, Bowers caught 56 passes for 714 yards and six touchdowns. A three-time All-American, he has been cited as among the greatest tight ends in college football history.

Las Vegas Raiders Era (2024–Present)

Bowers was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the first round with the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. On May 9, 2024, Bowers signed a four-year fully-guaranteed contract worth $18.1 million. In his NFL debut, he had six receptions for 58 yards in a 22-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1. In Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, Bowers had nine receptions for 98 yards. In Week 5, Bowers caught a 57-yard pass for his first NFL touchdown as part of an eight-reception, 97-yard game during a 34-18 loss to the Denver Broncos. In Week 10, he had 13 receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown in a 34-19 loss to the Miami Dolphins. In Week 12, he had ten receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown in a 19-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bowers played all 17 games through the 2024 season and led the team in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, finishing with 112 catches for 1,194 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. His receptions and receiving yards were the highest among all tight ends in the league that season. Bowers was named First-team All-Pro, earned Pro Bowl honors, and set numerous records with his rookie performance. He broke an all-time record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end, set more than half a century ago by Mike Ditka in 1961. He broke a league record for the most receptions in a season by a rookie of any position, set the prior year by wide receiver Puka Nacua. He also set a franchise record for the most receptions in a season by a Raider, beating out the 107 catches made by Darren Waller in 2020.

Notable Events and Milestones

Bowers was ranked 24th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2025. In Week 1 of the 2025 season against the New England Patriots, Bowers had five receptions for 103 yards before being taken out of the game due to a knee injury. He played through a PCL injury and bone bruise in his left knee through Weeks 2-4 before being sidelined through Weeks 5-7. In Week 9, upon his return, Bowers caught 12 passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns in a loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars. On December 24, Bowers was placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a knee injury but earned Pro Bowl honors for the second time.

Brock Bowers Career Wins

Throughout his collegiate and professional career, Bowers has accumulated an impressive list of accolades and statistical achievements that highlight his impact at both levels of football.

College Football Highlights

Bowers won two national championships with Georgia in 2021 and 2022. He was a three-time All-American, earning second-team honors in 2021, first-team honors in 2022, and unanimous All-American status in 2023. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2021 and earned First-team All-SEC honors all three seasons. He won the John Mackey Award in both 2022 and 2023, becoming the only two-time winner in the award’s history. He finished his Georgia career as the school’s all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns among tight ends.

Professional Football Highlights

In his rookie NFL season, Bowers led all tight ends in receptions and receiving yards, becoming the first rookie tight end to surpass 1,100 receiving yards in a season. He earned First-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2024 and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. He was also named First-team AP All-Time All-American in 2025. He earned his second Pro Bowl selection in 2025 despite playing only 12 games due to injury.

Brock Bowers Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Bowers comes from an athletic family with deep roots in competitive sports. His mother was an All-American softball player at Utah State University and was later inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame. His father was an All-Big West center on Utah State’s football team. After their college careers, Bowers’ mother became a high school math teacher and softball coach while his father founded a construction company. His sister continues the family athletic tradition by playing softball at Sacramento State.

Personal Life

Bowers grew up in Napa, California, where he developed his athletic skills playing multiple sports including football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. Despite not playing his senior season of high school football due to COVID-19 restrictions, he stayed in shape by running up and down the hills of Napa. He maintains an active presence on social media with his Instagram and X accounts. His athletic family background provided a strong foundation for his future success in football.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season presented new challenges for Bowers as he dealt with injuries throughout the year. In the season opener against the New England Patriots, he had five receptions for 103 yards before suffering a knee injury that would linger throughout the season. He played through a PCL injury and bone bruise sustained in the Patriots game through Weeks 2-4 before the Raiders decided to sidelined him through Weeks 5-7 to prevent aggravating the injury. Upon his return in Week 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bowers showed his resilience by catching 12 passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns in a losing effort.

Bowers made 12 total appearances (eight starts) for Las Vegas during the 2025 season, recording 64 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns. Despite missing significant time due to injury, he earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection, demonstrating the high regard in which he is held around the league. On December 24, he was placed on season-ending injured reserve. He finished his brief two-year NFL career with 176 receptions for 1,874 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Raiders and their new coaching staff under Pete Carroll will look to build around Bowers as a cornerstone piece of their offense moving forward into future seasons.