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  6. article_body => "<p>SANTA CLARA -- NaVorro Bowman did not imagine he would return to the NFL last season after missing one season due to a grisly knee injury he sustained in January 2014 and lead the league in tackles.<\/p>\n<p>However, Bowman, indeed, topped the league in total tackles and solo tackles, according to the unofficial statistics. But there is more for him to accomplish this season and he feels good about getting closer to his pre-injury form. Bowman made first-team All-Pro three consecutive seasons before the injury and, again, received the highest honor a year ago despite, as he said, \"leaving some plays on the field.\"<\/p>\n<p>Said Bowman, \u201cI\u2019m chasing to have a better year than last year.\"<\/p>\n<p>And Bowman figures to have a strong chance to finish at the top of the NFL leaderboard again this season due to the team\u2019s up-tempo style on offense that should mean more plays -- and more tackle opportunities -- for the defense.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll the guys on the defensive side are seeing that we\u2019re probably going to be on the field a lot more, just the tempo alone that we\u2019ve been experiencing these last few weeks,\u201d Bowman said. \u201cIt\u2019s our job to embrace it, and as I said a few weeks ago, I\u2019ve never seen a defensive guy that didn\u2019t want to be on the field. That\u2019s more plays, more tackles. It\u2019s going to work out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bowman believes he is far ahead of where he was a year ago during the 49ers\u2019 offseason program \u2013 and through training camp and the regular season \u2013 when he had to find a way to coax his left knee to cooperate. Bowman had to spend extra time warming up the knee and managing it.<\/p>\n<p>Now, he does not have to think about it as much. He has not missed a day of practice during the 49ers\u2019 offseason program, which concludes Thursday with the final workout of the team\u2019s mandatory three-day minicamp.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel great,\u201d Bowman said. \u201cAdding on days on top of days, I feel it sometimes, but it\u2019s nowhere near what I went through last year with the constant attention I had to put on it. This year I\u2019m able to wake up and ride. It\u2019s definitely a better thing than it was last year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still, it\u2019s clear that Bowman is looking for motivation to get the most out of himself. It seemed to touch a nerve when <em>CSNBayArea.com<\/em> asked him about the \"NFL Top 100,\" airing on the <em>NFL Network. <\/em>Bowman was recently unveiled as&nbsp;the 61st-best player in the league, according to a vote of players.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t like it,\u201d Bowman said. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen a ballot. They say we vote for it. It\u2019s totally bogus. I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll be (ranked better) than 61 if the players really vote on it. The NFL 100, they can keep doing what they\u2019re doing, but it\u2019s not accurate at all.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve never seen any player or heard any player say they\u2019ve voted for the NFL Top 100. I remember I had something to do and couldn\u2019t do an interview for it, so maybe that\u2019s why they put me at 61.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The rankings are legitimate, according to an <em>NFL Network<\/em> spokesman, who said the 49ers conducted their voting in December and votes from 18 members of the team were tabulated. NFL Films sent out tweets that showed Joe Staley, Daniel Kilgore and Andrew Tiller filling out ballots.<\/p>\n<p>The players are given ballots and asked to list the top players from 1 to 20. The votes are tabulated (20 points for No. 1, 19 for No. 2, etc.) to determine the top 100 players, according to the NFL Network.<\/p>\n<p>Bowman first appeared on the list at No. 85 in 2012. He was 37th in 2013, and 47 in 2014.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s always motivation,\u201d Bowman said. \u201cAny time you don\u2019t give me what I deserve, I put it in the motivation box and try to prove them wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Shoutout to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jstaley74\">@jstaley74<\/a> for going over and beyond today for the Top 100 crew &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFLFilms\">@NFLFilms<\/a>. Huge thanks! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NFLTop100Tour?src=hash\">#NFLTop100Tour<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qQdCjSF3Jx\">pic.twitter.com\/qQdCjSF3Jx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Alex Nolen (@snacksnolen) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/snacksnolen\/status\/677316113932292096\">December 17, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><br><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NFLTop100Tour?src=hash\">#NFLTop100Tour<\/a> is everywhere. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/49ers\">@49ers<\/a>? Check! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wLX0HUHfao\">pic.twitter.com\/wLX0HUHfao<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NFL Films (@NFLFilms) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NFLFilms\/status\/677623253762973696\">December 17, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n"
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49ers

49ers

SANTA CLARA -- NaVorro Bowman did not imagine he would return to the NFL last season after missing one season due to a grisly knee injury he sustained in January 2014 and lead the league in tackles.

However, Bowman, indeed, topped the league in total tackles and solo tackles, according to the unofficial statistics. But there is more for him to accomplish this season and he feels good about getting closer to his pre-injury form. Bowman made first-team All-Pro three consecutive seasons before the injury and, again, received the highest honor a year ago despite, as he said, "leaving some plays on the field."

Said Bowman, “I’m chasing to have a better year than last year."

And Bowman figures to have a strong chance to finish at the top of the NFL leaderboard again this season due to the team’s up-tempo style on offense that should mean more plays -- and more tackle opportunities -- for the defense.

“All the guys on the defensive side are seeing that we’re probably going to be on the field a lot more, just the tempo alone that we’ve been experiencing these last few weeks,” Bowman said. “It’s our job to embrace it, and as I said a few weeks ago, I’ve never seen a defensive guy that didn’t want to be on the field. That’s more plays, more tackles. It’s going to work out.”

Bowman believes he is far ahead of where he was a year ago during the 49ers’ offseason program – and through training camp and the regular season – when he had to find a way to coax his left knee to cooperate. Bowman had to spend extra time warming up the knee and managing it.

 

Now, he does not have to think about it as much. He has not missed a day of practice during the 49ers’ offseason program, which concludes Thursday with the final workout of the team’s mandatory three-day minicamp.

“I feel great,” Bowman said. “Adding on days on top of days, I feel it sometimes, but it’s nowhere near what I went through last year with the constant attention I had to put on it. This year I’m able to wake up and ride. It’s definitely a better thing than it was last year.”

Still, it’s clear that Bowman is looking for motivation to get the most out of himself. It seemed to touch a nerve when CSNBayArea.com asked him about the "NFL Top 100," airing on the NFL Network. Bowman was recently unveiled as the 61st-best player in the league, according to a vote of players.

“I don’t like it,” Bowman said. “I’ve never seen a ballot. They say we vote for it. It’s totally bogus. I’m sure I’ll be (ranked better) than 61 if the players really vote on it. The NFL 100, they can keep doing what they’re doing, but it’s not accurate at all.

“I’ve never seen any player or heard any player say they’ve voted for the NFL Top 100. I remember I had something to do and couldn’t do an interview for it, so maybe that’s why they put me at 61.”

The rankings are legitimate, according to an NFL Network spokesman, who said the 49ers conducted their voting in December and votes from 18 members of the team were tabulated. NFL Films sent out tweets that showed Joe Staley, Daniel Kilgore and Andrew Tiller filling out ballots.

The players are given ballots and asked to list the top players from 1 to 20. The votes are tabulated (20 points for No. 1, 19 for No. 2, etc.) to determine the top 100 players, according to the NFL Network.

Bowman first appeared on the list at No. 85 in 2012. He was 37th in 2013, and 47 in 2014.

“It’s always motivation,” Bowman said. “Any time you don’t give me what I deserve, I put it in the motivation box and try to prove them wrong.”