Brock Bowers' Selfless Move in 2023 Adds Another Layer to His Georgia Legacy
Brock Bowers didn’t just dominate on the field during his time at Georgia - he set the standard for what it means to be a teammate.
By now, fans in Athens and across the college football world know Bowers as the best tight end in the country during his three-year run with the Bulldogs. His blend of size, speed, hands, and route-running was NFL-ready from the jump, and he delivered on every bit of the hype. But a new revelation about his final season in Athens adds a deeper dimension to his already impressive legacy - and it has nothing to do with stats or highlight reels.
According to recent reports, Bowers made a quiet but significant decision during the 2023 season: he declined to take any NIL money from Georgia’s collective. Instead, he asked that his share be redistributed to other players on the team. He still earned income from personal marketing deals - and let’s be clear, he was a hot commodity - but he passed on the pool of money that could’ve easily padded his earnings even further.
Why does that matter? Because it gave Georgia more flexibility to support the rest of the roster.
In an era where NIL dollars have become a vital tool in roster building, Bowers’ choice helped strengthen the team around him. That kind of selflessness is rare - especially from a player who was already projected to be a top NFL draft pick and had every reason to cash in.
And the results speak for themselves. Georgia rolled through the 2023 regular season with a perfect 12-0 record.
Even after a narrow loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game - a result that controversially kept them out of the College Football Playoff - the Bulldogs looked every bit like one of the nation’s top teams. Bowers was a huge part of that on the field, but his off-field decision may have had just as much of an impact.
There’s no doubt that Bowers is on a trajectory that could eventually place him among the all-time greats at the tight end position in the NFL. He has all the tools, the work ethic, and the football IQ to make that happen. But what he did in 2023 - quietly putting the team first in a way that most fans never saw - is the kind of move that cements a legacy at a place like Georgia.
Brock Bowers will always be remembered for the catches, the touchdowns, and the championships. But this gesture? That’s the kind of thing that turns a fan favorite into a Bulldog legend.