Lynn Bowden Jr. discusses his restart in Miami, says when Tua Tagovailoa lets loose, ‘we’ll win every game’
By Keith Farner
Published:
Former Kentucky star Lynn Bowden Jr. is looking for a fresh start in Miami after a rocky start to his NFL career with the Raiders. He’s also looking for an improved Tua Tagovailoa, who has recently said his hip is “10 times better than last year.”
In an interview with Go Long with Tyler Dunne, Bowden spoke about Tagovailoa’s development.
“When he lets it loose and he’s being himself, we’ll win every game,” Bowden said. “When he’s feeling himself and he’s moving and doing his thing, Tua is one of the best quarterbacks, literally, around. And people don’t know that yet.”
Bowden also admitted that Tagovailoa played “a little scared” as a rookie, and he fully expects Tagovailoa to make big strides in his second season.
As for Bowden, his development at Kentucky came largely between his first two seasons. He thinks that could happen again in the NFL.
Kentucky assistant coach Vince Marrow compared Bowden’s vision to Barry Sanders and Lamar Jackson — he’s never worried about making that first defender miss. He knows he’ll leave that defender in the dust. His eyes are focused on the next guy. And the next guy.
“You can’t keep LB down,” Marrow said. “He will be on Sportscenter, trust me. He’s one of those guys.”
It’s widely believed that Marrow and Mark Stoops, Youngstown, Ohio natives like Bowden, connected with him more as a person. Perhaps that’s why he was successful at UK, and has a positive outlook in Miami?
“He’s tough but really has a soft side inside of him,” Marrow said. “Once you really understand who he is and once he knows you care about him? The sky’s the limit for him. Where we’re from, it’s something you’re entrenched in. He wants to go back and help youths. White or black. That’s just who he is. He’s really that type of guy off the field. I think if Lynn could save one guy, it’d make his day.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
