Bradley Bozeman (born November 24, 1994) is an American professional football center for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft before joining the Carolina Panthers.
 Bozeman with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021 | |||||||
| No. 75 – Los Angeles Chargers | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Center | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | November 24, 1994 Roanoke, Alabama, U.S. | ||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 317 lb (144 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Handley (Roanoke) | ||||||
| College: | Alabama (2013–2017) | ||||||
| NFL draft: | 2018 / round: 6 / pick: 215 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 2, 2024 | |||||||
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College career
editA native of Roanoke, Alabama, Bozeman received offers from multiple top football programs including the Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn, Clemson and Tennessee. He committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2013.[1] He was redshirted in 2013. The following year, Bozeman had two starts (Arkansas and Texas A&M) and played in nine games.[1] In 2015, Bozeman played in all 15 games as a reserve guard and center.[citation needed]
Bozeman earned a starting spot at center in 2016. He played in all 15 games and blocked for 11 100-yard rushing games.[1] Bozeman was voted team captain by his teammates for the 2017 season.[1] In his senior year, as a starting center, he helped Alabama win the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship.[2]
Professional career
edit| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4+5⁄8 in (1.95 m) |
317 lb (144 kg) |
31+1⁄4 in (0.79 m) |
9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m) |
5.47 s | 1.92 s | 3.15 s | 5.17 s | 8.25 s | 24.0 in (0.61 m) |
8 ft 1 in (2.46 m) |
27 reps | |
| All values from Pro Day[3][4] | ||||||||||||
Baltimore Ravens
editBozeman was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round (215th overall) of the 2018 NFL draft.[5] He played in 14 games as a rookie, starting one game, against the New Orleans Saints, at left guard.[6] In his second season, Bozeman was named starting left guard, and started every game of the 2019 and 2020 seasons.[7] In 2021 he made the shift to being the starting center.
Carolina Panthers
editOn March 18, 2022, Bozeman signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers.[8]
On March 13, 2023, Bozeman signed a three-year, $18 million contract extension with the Panthers.[9]
On March 13, 2024, Bozeman was released by the Panthers.[10]
Los Angeles Chargers
editOn March 18, 2024, Bozeman signed with the Los Angeles Chargers.[11]
Personal life
editBozeman proposed to Alabama basketball player Nikki Hegstetter in 2018, after the College Football Playoff championship game against Georgia.[12] They married on March 23, 2019.[citation needed]
During the 2019 NFL season, Bozeman and his wife Nikki lived full-time in an RV they had bought for offseason travel, but soon decided to live full-time in it. In a 2020 ESPN story, Bozeman estimated that the move saved them about $1,800 per month in rent. After the season, they traveled the U.S. in a smaller donated RV, combining anti-bullying presentations to student groups with sightseeing side trips until their venture was cut short due to COVID-19 pandemic. The couple initially planned to live in their larger RV for at least two more years, but found a house they felt they could not pass up, and planned to move into it upon their return from their cross-country trip.[13]
In 2018, Bozeman and Nikki founded the Bradley & Nikki Bozeman Foundation, which focuses on at-risk children and their families to educate them on the dangers of childhood bullying.[14] In 2020, the foundation held a number of food drives in partnership with Mount Pleasant Church and Ministries.[15]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Bradley Bozeman - Football". University of Alabama Athletics. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
- ^ "2018 CFP National Championship".
- ^ "Reaction to Ravens Selecting C Bradley Bozeman". BaltimoreRavens.com. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
- ^ "2018 NFL Draft Scout Bradley Bozeman College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
- ^ Mink, Ryan (April 28, 2018). "Round 6: Ravens Select C Bradley Bozeman at No. 215". BaltimoreRavens.com. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
- ^ "Bradley Bozeman 2018 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
- ^ "Bradley Bozeman 2019 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ Gantt, Darin (March 18, 2022). "Panthers agree to terms with center Bradley Bozeman". Panthers.com.
- ^ Gantt, Darin (March 13, 2023). "Panthers bring back Bradley Bozeman". Panthers.com.
- ^ Gantt, Darin (March 13, 2024). "Panthers release three players at start of league year". Panthers.com.
- ^ "Los Angeles Chargers Sign Bradley Bozeman". Chargers.com. March 18, 2024.
- ^ Anderson, Joel (January 9, 2018). "Take a knee: Bama center proposes after win". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
- ^ Hensley, Jamison (March 14, 2020). "Living the RV life with Ravens lineman Bradley Bozeman". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
- ^ Mink, Ryan (December 10, 2020). "Why Bradley Bozeman Is Ravens' Walter Payton Man of the Year". Baltimore Ravens. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
- ^ "The Bradley and Nikki Bozeman Foundation holds food drive". WMAR 2 News Baltimore. March 9, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2024.