A football star from a small Mississippi town will soon be recognized by an NFL team for his excellence on the field.
Tim Bowens, an Okalona native who played at both Itawamba Community College and Ole Miss before becoming a first-round NFL Draft pick, is set to be the 28th member of the Miami Dolphins’ Ring of Honor.
The moment Tim Bowens found out he’ll be inducted into our Ring of Honor. 🩵 pic.twitter.com/eWdbcJVX3h
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 5, 2024
Bowens’ talent on the gridiron was first punctuated at the high school ranks when he led Okalona High School to an 11-2 record and the Class 2A North State championship game while earning All-State and All-District honors as a senior.
As a freshman at ICC, Bowens helped lead the Indians to a 7-2-1 record. In his final season, the program wrapped up the regular season with an 8-2 record and advanced to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges Championship game and played in the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo.
After his two seasons in Fulton, Bowens remained in the Magnolia State to play for legendary head coach Billy Brewer at Ole Miss. While in Oxford, Bowens started in seven games and appeared in nine contests. He tallied an impressive 47 solo tackles, six assists, six sacks, five tackles for loss, four pass breakups, one interception, and one fumble recovery.
Bowens opted out of his senior season with the Rebels and entered the 1994 NFL Draft where he was selected by the Dolphins with the 20th overall pick. During his inaugural NFL campaign, Bowens was named Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press and added to the All-Pro team after recording 44 solo tackles, eight assists, one fumble recovery, and three sacks.
He went on to have an 11-year career with Miami, totaling 407 career tackles, 22 sacks, nine forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, one interception and 21 passes deflected. The Mississippian was selected to a pair of Pro Bowls following the 1998 and 2002 seasons. Bowens was added to the NFL franchise’s Walk of Fame in 2012 and named to the Miami Dolphins 50th Season All-Time Team in 2015.
“Tim Bowens was the epitome of a team player who performed at an elite level for a long period of time, allowing both his teammates and the Miami Dolphins to be successful,” said Tom Garfinkel, vice chairman, president and CEO of the Miami Dolphins.
“From the day he was drafted until the day he retired, Tim was a warrior in the trenches. His selfless, dependable, and physical style of play is a big reason why his teammates also found success, most notably Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas, who are now enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We are excited to recognize Tim later this season and cement him where he belongs, among the all-time greats in Miami Dolphins history.”
Bowens, the first addition to the NFL team’s Ring of Honor in a decade, will be formally inducted with a special halftime ceremony the final weekend of October when the Dolphins host the Arizona Cardinals.
