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Ryan McFadden
Even in the midst of the Las Vegas Raiders’ continued struggles, which were on display in their 31-14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 13, Brock Bowers’ artistry at tight end is hard to deny.
The Raiders were on the verge of their seventh double-digit loss when Bowers stole the show momentarily in the fourth quarter. On second down and with 7:52 to go in regulation, quarterback Geno Smith quickly threw the ball to the corner of the end zone, where Bowers made a diving, one-handed touchdown catch with Chargers cornerback Cam Hart draped on him.
The ball was inches away from hitting the turf at SoFi Stadium, and yet Bowers figured out a way to get his hand underneath it for the 6-yard reception.
“It’s so unique that he would catch it off the top of the turf,” Raiders coach Pete Carroll said. “You never see anybody do it like that.”
Bowers has found a way to create memorable moments in what has been another forgettable season for Las Vegas. Whether it was defying the odds with last week’s touchdown reception or his 127-yard performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9, Bowers has continued to show he’s one of the best at his position despite six straight weeks where he was either sidelined or not playing at full strength due to a knee injury.
In just two seasons, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Bowers has mesmerized his teammates and others across the league with his ability to move like a wide receiver in a tight end’s body.
Bowers’ 161 receptions are the most by any Raider, regardless of position, in their first two seasons in franchise history. His 1,767 receiving yards are second most, behind Amari Cooper — who totaled 2,223 yards from 2015 to ’16.
Bowers’ prowess is another reason the Raiders must figure out how to right the ship. At 22, Bowers has already become an elite playmaker, and Las Vegas must take advantage of the prime years it has with him.
“He can run option routes like [Seattle Seahawks wide receiver] Cooper Kupp [and] run the seams like [former Kansas City Chiefs tight end] Tony Gonzalez,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said. “He’s just multipurpose.”
When Raiders tight ends coach Luke Steckel studied Bowers ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, he said the former Georgia standout had the best film he had ever seen from a tight end coming out of college. In three seasons with the Bulldogs, Bowers was a two-time John Mackey Award winner and totaled the fifth-most career receiving yards in program history (2,538).
Steckel wrote in his report that Bowers had “little to no flaws from a pass game skill set.” And that evaluation led him to the ultimate conclusion: The Raiders had no chance of drafting Bowers at 13th overall.
“I didn’t have any contact with him,” Steckel — who is in his second season in Las Vegas — told ESPN. “Usually, you’ll have a chance to interview these guys at the combine or jump on a Zoom [call] with them. We thought so highly of him that we didn’t think he’d be around by the time we were picking.”
In addition to Steckel believing Bowers was too good a player for teams to pass on, the Raiders had more pressing needs at other positions, especially since they had drafted tight end Michael Mayer in the second round in 2023.
On draft night, Bowers somehow dropped down to 13th, and Steckel was finally able to call the California native and have a conversation he least expected. “It’s been a great relationship ever since,” Steckel said.
“It was so crazy we drafted him. I was like ‘Oh s—,” wide receiver Tre Tucker recalled to ESPN. “I remember a highlight of him having a jet sweep, and he took it [75 yards against Kent State in 2022]. I was like ‘Yeah, he’s a dog.'”
Words like “unicorn,” “freak” and “dynamic” have been used within the Raiders’ locker room when discussing Bowers. Tucker called him a “silent assassin.”
“He’s goofy, but he doesn’t talk much. I’ve seen dudes try to say something to him, and he doesn’t say anything,” Tucker said. “The next play, he does what he does.”
Bowers might be a man of few words, but his production has been loud. His first career touchdown in last year’s Week 5 matchup against the Denver Broncos was a rousing glimpse of what his teammates could expect for years to come.
He leaped up and caught a downfield pass over Broncos safety P.J. Locke before sprinting to the end zone to complete a 57-yard touchdown reception.
“He elevated off the ground, froze in midair and took the ball off the defender’s helmet,” Steckel said. “That was probably the first ‘Oh wow’ moment that I saw from him with my own two eyes in a game.”
Defensive end Maxx Crosby said: “I was like, ‘He’s here now, for good.'”
Against the Jaguars last month, Bowers added to his collection of highlight reel moments. Similar to his latest touchdown grab against the Chargers, Smith threw the ball near the pylon. Bowers quickly turned his body and made a one-handed touchdown grab while falling in the end zone.
It was one of three touchdown catches that Bowers had in the 30-29 overtime loss.
Bowers’ first touchdown against Los Angeles, which evened the score at 7, was another example of how he finds ways to get open. He slipped past the defenses and was left uncovered in the middle of the end zone before securing Smith’s 6-yard pass.
“I don’t know how he gets open, but he does,” Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes said. “People don’t realize that his footwork is unbelievable.”
Steckel expressed similar sentiments. He said Bowers’ footwork and hands on the second level of routes allow him to create separation from defenders.
“If teams play him in man-to-man coverage, he’s got great release mechanics,” Steckel said. “When teams are playing zone defense, he just has this natural ability to find the void… I think that just comes with a natural feel for the game.”
Another element of Bowers’ lore has been his productivity despite the constant changes around him. As a rookie, he led all tight ends in receiving yards (1,194) while playing with three starting quarterbacks (Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder).
This season, Bowers suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury and a bone bruise in his left knee during his 103-yard performance against the New England Patriots in Week 1. The Pro Bowl pass-catcher was active from Weeks 2 to 4 before he was shut down. While playing through an injury, Bowers totaled 14 catches for 122 yards and 8.7 yards per catch.
Bowers also experienced a change in playcaller for the second consecutive season when Las Vegas parted ways with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and placed quarterbacks coach Greg Olson in an interim role.
Yet, he leads the team in receiving yards (573) and is tied for the fourth-most touchdown receptions (five) among tight ends.
“Brock Bowers is a superior talent … He’s going to be solid for a long time,” former NFL tight end and Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski said.
“I got a son now — hopefully, he turns out somewhat like that. I’d be OK,” former Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers said of Bowers.
At 2-10, the Raiders’ season hasn’t gone as expected, and it’s hard to take away any positives on offense. Bowers and even running back Ashton Jeanty, however, have shown the organization has a pair of building blocks on the offensive side of the ball.
Moving forward, it will be important for the Raiders to surround Bowers — who is eligible for an extension after the 2026 season — with the right pieces so that they can truly benefit from his talent. Over the past few seasons, the team has had talented playmakers such as running back Josh Jacobs and wide receiver Davante Adams, but failed to capitalize on their skill sets.
This offseason, in particular, Las Vegas will need to fix its offensive line so that Smith or whoever is under center next season has enough time to get Bowers the ball. He only had four targets against the Chargers. Even though Bowers is viewed as the Raiders’ top pass-catcher, it wouldn’t hurt to add a wide receiver who can take the pressure off the All-Pro tight end.
“God blessed Brock with amazing skills, and he’s showing it,” Raiders safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. said. “[Las Vegas] better be ready to back up the Brink’s truck.”