Forgotten Steelers' R.J. Bowers Sought Help From These Unlikely Sources On His Way To Memorable 2001 Season

For generations, the Pittsburgh Steelers have established several reputations, both on and off the field. On the field, they look to impose their will against the opponent, led by a physical running attack with a blue-collar style of approach. Off the field, the Steelers have been pioneers in scouting players, where to look for the best talent at different positions, and how to utilize those talents to ultimately win games. Bill Nunn proved to be the spearhead of the scouting and creation of the Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970’s. Since then, the Steelers have shown to not leave any stone unturned in their hunt for the right talent to effectively play up to the Steelers’ standard.

That hunt doesn’t stop at touring the top collegiate programs across the country. That hunt doesn’t stop at the annual NFL Combine, Senior Bowl, or Shrine Bowl. Throughout the Steelers’ history, there have been names peppered throughout impressive rosters that didn’t hear their names called in the draft and had to find other avenues to break into the NFL. They didn’t necessarily come from impressive Division I colleges or strong athletic programs. Some of those names include Devlin Hodges, Dan Kreider, James Harrison, and Willie Parker. But before those names came a seemingly forgotten ball-carrier who embodied a true 'Steeler' and played college football just 59 miles north off route 79 from Pittsburgh at Grove City College. That name is R.J. Bowers.

R.J. Bowers needed a lot of help with his tough path to the Steelers

Bowers’ journey to the NFL was anything but a straight line. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii but grew up in western Pennsylvania in the small borough of West Middlesex. Bowers was an incredibly athletic specimen and excelled in a multitude of sports throughout high school. Included in those was baseball and football. Bowers was poised for a promising professional baseball career after high school and was called by the Houston Astros with the 293rd overall pick in the 1992 Major League Baseball draft. But after six years of bumping around the Houston minor league system, he realized that the sport wasn’t for him and he decided to enroll for classes at Grove City College at 24 years old. This is where Bowers’ life would change forever, but only with the help of key individuals getting him to the next level of football.

Bowers was a stud in college playing the traditional “halfback” role on offense. He was much older than a lot of the opposing teams and was a massive body coming out of the back field. While in college, he was the first player in history to eclipse the 7,000 rushing-yards mark, posting a total of 7,353 yards in his career. But that milestone didn’t come easy. In fact, Bowers experienced a complete turning point in his football career between his junior and senior seasons that would ultimately propel him into the NFL; and that story is one that not a lot of fans know.

In the final game of his junior season against Muhlenberg University, Bowers severely broke his leg. So much so, his collegiate career was in jeopardy and his aspirations for an opportunity in the NFL were on proverbial life support. In Great Days in the Kingdom written by the late Dr. Richard A. Morledge, Dr. Morledge details how far back the injury set Bowers, ultimately setting up for one of his biggest comebacks.

“In the final game of R.J.’s junior year, his leg was severely broken during the Muhlenberg University game. We feared this would prevent him from entering the professional football draft as he had hoped.”

Being a Division III school, Grove City College has limited resources when it comes to athletic scholarships. Further, with Bowers being intensely focused on football and working towards a professional career, he didn’t have a job for a source of income and his grades weren’t impressive. Therefore, he needed a lot of help to earn money to stay in school and improve his grades, all while rehabbing his leg in preparation for his senior season. Dr. Morledge, being a Dean at Grove City College at the time, was asked by Head Coach Chris Smith if he could help get Bowers back on track.

“I asked if [local business-owner Leo Stevenson] would be willing to give a job to one of our injured football players who needed money to complete college,” he wrote. Dr. Morledge continued, “He told me to have the young man report to his office as soon as possible, and in confidence, told me right then that R.J. had a job.”

Effectively saving his college career and preparing him for the NFL, the relationship between Bowers, Dr. Morledge, and Stevenson grew immensely. At the conclusion of his record-setting 2000 season, Bowers and Coach Smith awarded Stevenson and Dr. Morledge with autographed game balls from the season as a way of thanking them for their help behind the scenes. Bowers understood that without them, he wouldn’t have had the second chance to re-write the NCAA record books and get his name back on NFL teams’ big boards heading into the 2001 NFL Draft. After the death of Stevenson before the 2001 draft, Bowers insisted the game ball he gave to him was to not be returned to the college’s athletic department, but was to be buried with Stevenson. Bowers’ wish was granted and he set his sights on the next step of his career.

Bowers would not hear his name called in the draft. Similar to his previous baseball life, Bowers bumped around several different NFL rosters before landing back home in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. But with Jerome Bettis and Chris Fuamatu-Ma’Afala assuming the majority of the ball carrying duties, Bowers had a tough hill to climb to see action on the field. As luck would have it, Bowers would see his first action in a big-time game against the Cleveland Browns due to injuries to Bettis and Fuamatu-Ma’Afala. The stage was set for a full-circle moment, as injuries forced him to recalibrate his career path in college, only for injuries now allowing him to play in a regular season NFL game in front of the similar crowd he played for in college.

Bowers would take advantage of this opportunity with the Steelers

It was the final game of the 2001 regular season and the Steelers hosted the Browns in a gritty, snowy game at Heinz Field. No one was exempt from injury in the game, leading to Kordell Stewart being replaced by Tommy Maddox, let alone Bowers coming in late in the game to relieve Fuamatu-Ma’Afala. With the score sitting at 21-7 in favor of the Steelers, Bowers entered the game looking to run out the clock. In that drive, Bowers posted 46 yards on the ground. Those yards featured Bowers’ first, and only, NFL touchdown in the form of a 21-yard gallop through the snow into the south endzone. Dr. Morledge wrote his take on this incredible culmination of Bowers’ journey, knowing what it took to get him there.

“I was watching on television the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game with the Cleveland Browns. R.J. was given the ball and after a run around the right end, he scored his first touchdown. When he crossed the goal line, I cried,” he described. “I was thrilled, for I believed that from his seat in heaven, Leo knew our boy had made it to the pros.”

After the game, Bowers shared his feelings with Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in the locker room.

“I’ve been trying to find the right words for a half hour and I can’t. You can’t write it any better,” he said. “It was a great thrill,” Bowers continued. “It means a lot to get your first NFL touchdown because I’ll never have another first NFL touchdown.”

After that touchdown, Bowers would continue to struggle to find a path in the NFL and would find himself playing for the Browns in 2002 and 2003. He would effectively “retire” after the 2003 season and returned home to West Middlesex. His name is hung in the halls of Grove City College and the Mercer County Hall of Fame and remains a hometown hero who made it to the highest level of two of the biggest sports in America. But what isn’t mentioned are the names who helped get him there when no one else was watching. Without the duo of Dr. Morledge and Stevenson, there is no telling if Bowers would have made it to the Steelers, the NFL, and the NCAA record books.

Do you remember R.J. Bowers? Who are some forgotten Steelers names you thought of? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation