If NaVorro Bowman gets a birthday present half as good as the going-away gift he gave Candlestick Park, he's in line for a memorable day.
The former 49ers linebacker turned 32 on Thursday, just shy of a year after announcing his retirement from the NFL. Bowman made three Pro Bowls and was First Team All-Pro four times during parts of eight seasons with San Francisco, but his most memorable moment in red and gold came on Dec. 23, 2013.
That day marked the 49ers' last game at Candlestick Park before moving to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, and Bowman sent the Niners' former home out with a bang. Bowman intercepted Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan's pass and returned it 89 yards for a touchdown to seal the 49ers' 34-24 win on "Monday Night Football," giving the home of some of the most iconic moments in NFL history one last taste of glory with the "Pick at the Stick."
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Bowman chose a good time for the first -- and only -- TD of his NFL career, clinching the 49ers' third straight playoff appearance with the return. To date, that streak is the 49ers' only stretch of (at least) three consecutive postseason berths this century.
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The linebacker's 49ers career was more than just one moment, however, and Bowman was pivotal in the 49ers' 2010s resurgence. NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco named Bowman one of the five best Niners of the decade, and San Francisco's run of three straight NFC Championship Game appearances simply doesn't happen without Bowman's steadiness.
San Francisco 49ers
What do you get the man who gave the 49ers everything? I don't envy his friends and family trying to buy presents.
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