49ers' Bowman, Staley named to Pro Bowl

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He might not be at the level at which he played before sustaining a career-threatening knee injury, but 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman is back.

Bowman is back in the Pro Bowl.

Bowman on Tuesday was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the third time in his career and the first since a grisly knee injury in the NFC Championship in January 2014 kept him sidelined for an entire season.

Bowman was chosen to the Pro Bowl team after the 2012 and ’13 seasons. He was also selected as a first-team All-Pro in three consecutive seasons, beginning in 2011.

Left tackle Joe Staley was also selected to the team, giving the 49ers two Pro Bowl selections while they currently sit at 4-10. Staley has now been chosen to five straight Pro Bowl. 

Offensive guard/tackle Alex Boone was selected as an alternate for the game.

Bowman sustained a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee against the Seattle Seahawks. He faced long odds this season just to get back on the field. Bowman has started in all 14 games this season.

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And while his performances have not been as consistent since returning from the injury, Bowman ranks tied for first in the NFL with Indianapolis’ D’Qwell Jackson with 136 tackles, according to the NFL’s unofficial figures. Bowman finished third in the fan voting among inside linebackers behind Carolina's Luke Kuechly and Green Bay's Clay Matthews.

While Bowman has arguably been the 49ers’ best player, he has inarguably been the team’s best leader in trying to keep the team pointing in the right direction during a 4-10 season.

“Bowman shows leadership all across the board,” 49ers defensive lineman Quinton Dial said. “He doesn’t say a whole lot. He lets his play do the talking, but (he talks) when he needs to step up and say something,”

Said linebacker Eli Harold, “I feel like Bow is definitely the leader of the defense – just leading by example. A leader doesn’t necessarily have to say a whole lot to get guys to rally around him. But he does, at times, say a lot.”

 

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