Oklahoma State University has enshrined receiver Adarius Bowman on the football program’s wall of ‘Pro Pokes’.
Thank you Oklahoma State University for adding me to the wall.
I am proud to say I was a @cowboy_fb and was coached by THE Mike Gundy and THE @gunterbrewer .Go Pokes !!
Photo credit @peytonaufill pic.twitter.com/JiTqVPFTwV
— Adarius Bowman (@AdariusBowman) May 4, 2020
Bowman played two seasons for Oklahoma State in 2006 and 2007. He produced 60 catches for 1,181 yards, including setting a Big 12 single-game record with 300 yards on 13 grabs against the University of Kansas, and 12 touchdowns during his junior season. The six-foot-three, 215-pound pass catcher was named Big 12 offensive newcomer of the year and team MVP. As a senior, Bowman made 67 receptions for 1,006 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior.
The 34-year-old announced his CFL retirement in October 2019. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed Bowman to a one-year contract for the 2018 season. He had nine catches for 95 yards in six games with Winnipeg prior to the Bombers trading the veteran pass catcher to Montreal where he finished his playing days.
Bowman was released by the Edmonton Eskimos as the team elected to cut him in loose in February 2018 instead of paying his $140,000 roster bonus. Esks general manager Brock Sunderland admitted it was a “very unpopular” decision. The 34-year-old reportedly earned $260,000 in 2017 and was scheduled to make $265,000, including the bonus.
Bowman cracked the 1,000-yard plateau three times over his six CFL seasons with Edmonton. The Chattanooga, Tennessee native set an Eskimos club-record with 120 catches for a league-high 1,759 yards and nine majors in 2016. He won a Grey Cup with Edmonton in 2015 and earned the Tom Pate Memorial Award in 2017.
Over 11 seasons, the three-time CFL all-star has 652 catches for 9,491 receiving yards and 49 touchdowns. After 23 receptions for 358 yards and three touchdowns in nine games in 2008, the Saskatchewan Roughriders traded Bowman to Winnipeg where he spent two seasons playing in 27 games making 105 grabs for 1,616 yards and nine touchdowns. That came before Bowman emerged as a star with the Eskimos.
At the place where Bowman established himself as a rising talent in football, he’ll be remembered for a long time.
