NaVorro Bowman would ‘never' play for Seahawks after 49ers rivalry

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MIAMI, Fla. -- After two full seasons with the 49ers, most fans have gotten used to seeing Richard Sherman in red and gold

But for former 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman, it still seems a little odd. 

“Yeah, A little bit, a little bit,” the three-time All-Pro told NBC Sports Bay Area at Super Bowl LIV Radio Row on Friday. 

The rivalry still strikes a nerve with Bowman, who shared that he could never play for the Seahawks, the 49ers' biggest rival during his seven seasons in San Francisco.

Of course, Bowman’s horrific knee injury in the 2014 NFC Championship Game left a multitude of scars on Bowman, both physical and emotional. The injury also factored into keeping the 49ers from reaching Super Bowl XLVII. 

“He’s done a good job being cordial, and you know, letting it sink in his blood a little bit,” Bowman said of Sherman. “But I don’t know, I would have never did it.”

Bowman admitted he would have been open to playing for any other team in the NFL other than Seattle. While some of the reason is personal, he also admits he played a role in the fractured relationship. 

“I done said some things about the Seahawks, you know what I’m saying?,” Bowman said with a laugh. 

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Bowman added that along with the inability to suit up in Seahawks colors on the field, he couldn’t do it off the field either. 

“There are just some colors you can’t wear,” Bowman said. “Blue and lime green and gray is one of them. Those three colors don’t go together in my book.” 

Even though Bowman did play 10 games across the bay for the Oakland Raiders in the 2017 season, he forever will be known as a part of the 49ers.

Programming note: NBC Sports Bay Area feeds your hunger for 49ers Super Bowl coverage with special editions of “49ers Central” all week (9:30 p.m. Friday, and 3 p.m. Saturday).

Also tune in at 1 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday for a two-hour special of "49ers Pregame Live" with Laura Britt, Donte Whitner, Jeff Garcia, Ian Williams, Kelli Johnson, Greg Papa and Grant Liffmann. That same crew will have all the postgame reaction on "49ers Postgame Live," starting immediately after the game.

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