Lynn Bowden made a stop in Owensboro Saturday night to meet adoring fans and to sign autographs at Legend’s Sports Bar and Grill. The University of Kentucky football standout said he was thrilled to experience a warm reception by so many faithful supporters.
“It’s beautiful getting to see so many fans face-to-face like this,” Bowden said. “For me, it’s everything. I’m very blessed to have the support of all these fans.”
One loyal fan from Beaver Dam spent the majority of his Saturday afternoon braving the cold as he waited for the arrival of Bowden. Brian Wilson was first in line to receive an autograph, and he had a special message for one of his favorite Wildcats.
“I’ve been a Kentucky fan since I was a young kid,” Wilson said. “I’ve always enjoyed going to games with my uncles and watching games on TV with my dad, but this year was a little different. My dad passed away on Nov. 29, and the next day we played Louisville. Lynn Bowden went off that day.
“I’ll always remember watching that game because it felt like Dad was right there with me. I know Bowden gets to hear fans say thank you all the time, but I really am thankful for what he has meant to Kentucky and what he has meant to me.”
Bowden — a native of Youngstown, Ohio — has spoken previously of his journey through adversity to succeed both on and off the field.
After spending the entirety of his career as a wide receiver in the Kentucky offense, an injury to their quarterback early this season forced Bowden into a new role as the Wildcats’ signal caller. In eight starts under center, Bowden ran for 100-plus yards seven times, led his team to a 6-2 record and guided UK to a Belk Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.
The junior declared for the 2020 NFL Draft in December at the conclusion of the regular season. Since that time, Bowden became the recipient of the Paul Hornung Award — given to the most versatile college football player.
“I want to hold onto the college experience as long as I can,” Bowden said. “Not to be too emotional, but our team went through a lot of adversity this year. At the same time, as I start to give more thought to the NFL, it’s time to grind really hard to get prepared for the Combine and for Pro day coming up.”
