Brandon McGowan
Encyclopedia
Brandon McGowan is an American football
safety of the National Football League
who is currently a free agent
. He was signed by the Chicago Bears
as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football
at Maine.
in Jersey City, New Jersey
, where he played football as a safety and running back
. He was a defensive first-team All-County selection as a senior.
finishing his college career with 293 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 7 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and 5 fumble recoveries. He started 33 of the 34 games he played at Maine and was the team's Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection as a junior in 2003. He was also awarded the "Hammer Award" for being the Black Bears' best special teams player as a freshman in 2001.
and signed a three-year deal with the Chicago Bears
. McGowan was the only undrafted rookie to make the Bears' roster. During his rookie season, McGowan played in 8 games, starting the final three games of the season, and completed the year with 23 tackles and four special teams tackles. McGowan recorded a career-high eight tackles against the Pittsburgh Steelers
on December 11.
McGowan missed the first seven games of the 2006 season after beginning the year on the team's Physically Unable to Perform
list. He recorded two special teams tackles in his first game back against the Miami Dolphins
before being placed on injured reserve
with an Achilles
injury the next day.
In 2007, McGowan replaced starting safety Adam Archuleta
for most of the season and finished the year with 80 tackles and 2 interceptions. He also had a career-high 10 special teams tackles. However, McGowan lost out on the starting strong safety job to Kevin Payne
during the 2008 preseason. On September 17, McGowan was placed on season-ending injured reserve
with an ankle injury. In March 2009, McGowan became a free agent
, after the Bears planned on using Payne as their starter for next year.
and James Sanders; however, before the opener, Belichick praised McGowan:
In Week 2, McGowan started over Sanders against the New York Jets
, and continued to do so until Week 14. He played as a reserve to Sanders in the final four games of the season and the Patriots' playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens
. He finished the season with 79 tackles and three forced fumbles.
McGowan was placed on injured reserve
by the Patriots on September 4, 2010, with a chest injury, ending his season. He was released by the Patriots on August 7, 2011.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
safety of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Maine.
Early years
McGowan attended Lincoln High SchoolLincoln High School (Jersey City, New Jersey)
Lincoln High School is a four-year public high school located in Jersey City, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, operated as part of the Jersey City Public Schools, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade....
in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, where he played football as a safety and running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He was a defensive first-team All-County selection as a senior.
College career
McGowan was a four-year letterwinner with the Maine Black BearsMaine Black Bears
The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams which represent the University of Maine. They compete in NCAA Division I athletics, with the majority of the teams playing in the America East Conference...
finishing his college career with 293 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 7 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and 5 fumble recoveries. He started 33 of the 34 games he played at Maine and was the team's Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection as a junior in 2003. He was also awarded the "Hammer Award" for being the Black Bears' best special teams player as a freshman in 2001.
Chicago Bears
McGowan went undrafted in the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
and signed a three-year deal with the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. McGowan was the only undrafted rookie to make the Bears' roster. During his rookie season, McGowan played in 8 games, starting the final three games of the season, and completed the year with 23 tackles and four special teams tackles. McGowan recorded a career-high eight tackles against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
on December 11.
McGowan missed the first seven games of the 2006 season after beginning the year on the team's Physically Unable to Perform
Physically Unable to Perform
Players can be labeled Physically Unable to Perform in the National Football League if they suffer from football-related injuries during the preseason...
list. He recorded two special teams tackles in his first game back against the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
before being placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
with an Achilles
Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.Plato named Achilles the handsomest of the heroes assembled against Troy....
injury the next day.
In 2007, McGowan replaced starting safety Adam Archuleta
Adam Archuleta
Adam Jason Archuleta is a former American football safety. He played college football at Arizona State, and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams 20th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft....
for most of the season and finished the year with 80 tackles and 2 interceptions. He also had a career-high 10 special teams tackles. However, McGowan lost out on the starting strong safety job to Kevin Payne
Kevin Payne (American football)
-Chicago Bears:Payne was drafted by the Bears in the 5th round of the 2007 draft. An injury cut his rookie season short playing in only three games. In 2008 Payne was the starting strong safety for the Chicago Bears. In his first season as the starter, Payne posted career highs in tackles ,...
during the 2008 preseason. On September 17, McGowan was placed on season-ending injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
with an ankle injury. In March 2009, McGowan became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, after the Bears planned on using Payne as their starter for next year.
New England Patriots
On May 5, 2009, McGowan signed with the New England Patriots. He began the season as a reserve behind starters Brandon MeriweatherBrandon Meriweather
Brandon Meriweather is an American football safety for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 24th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:Meriweather's mother gave birth to him when...
and James Sanders; however, before the opener, Belichick praised McGowan:
In Week 2, McGowan started over Sanders against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and continued to do so until Week 14. He played as a reserve to Sanders in the final four games of the season and the Patriots' playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. He finished the season with 79 tackles and three forced fumbles.
McGowan was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
by the Patriots on September 4, 2010, with a chest injury, ending his season. He was released by the Patriots on August 7, 2011.