Matt Bowen ( American football ) Matthew Sean Bowen ( born November 12 , 1976 in Glen Ellyn , Illinois ) is a former American football strong safety in the National Football League . He currently works as a sports journalist . High school career . Bowen was an all - state , all - area and all - conference selection as a quarterback at Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn , Illinois . He was originally recruited to Iowa as a quarterback after finishing his senior season as team captain and MVP after passing for 1 , 533 yards and 17 touchdowns , and gaining 1 , 329 yards and 17 scores on the ground . He also played three seasons of baseball and four seasons of basketball . His mentor was Hasani Steele , who played in the Rose Bowl with Northwestern University . College career . Bowen was a four - year letterwinner ( 1996 – 99 ) at Iowa , he started his final two seasons and earned second - team All - America recognition and first - team All - Big Ten honors . He posted a career - high 109 tackles ( 76 solo ) and two INT s as a senior and led the team with 92 tackles ( 57 solo ) and two interceptions as a junior . NFL career . 2000 . Matt Bowen was drafted in the sixth round by the St . Louis Rams . He earned St . Louis ’ " Rookie of the Year " award after starting at strong safety in two contests and appearing in 16 regular season games . He also saw action in the Ram ' s Wild Card playoff at New Orleans . He finished the season with 21 tackles ( 15 solo ) and two passes broken up . He also recorded 21 special teams tackles to tie for the club lead . 2001 . Bowen signed with the Green Bay Packers to provide depth and help to the Packers secondary and special teams . He started the 2001 campaign with St . Louis , but suffered a broken right foot in the season opener and was inactive for the following two games . He was placed on injured reserve on October 3 and was eventually waived on November 6 . He played in Green Bay ’ s last five games on defense and special teams , recording four special teams tackles . 2002 . Playing for the Green Bay Packers , Bowen appeared in all 16 games , starting six , contributing as a backup safety , a valued special teams contributor as well as a weekly participant in the club ’ s dime package defense . He was named the starter at strong safety during Weeks 4 – 7 when Antuan Edwards was sidelined with a fractured forearm . He also started at free safety for Darren Sharper in the regular - season finale . He made his first - career postseason start against Atlanta in the NFC Wild Card playoff contest , responding to the challenge with a game - and career - high 15 tackles and two passes defensed . He finished the season with a career - high 42 tackles ( 27 solo ) , good for second among reserves . Bowen also added a forced fumble , one interception and seven passes defended . 2003 . Signed with the Washington Redskins as a restricted free agent from the Green Bay Packers in March 2003 . For the first time in his NFL career , Bowen started all 16 games in a season . He finished his campaign with 94 tackles ( 73 solo ) , three interceptions , two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries . 2004 . Bowen started the first five games at strong safety for the Redskins before suffering a torn ACL on his right knee on a special teams play . He was placed on injured reserve on October 11 . 2005 . Saw action in 13 games , tallied 14 tackles , including 13 solo . 2006 . On March 10 , 2006 , the Washington Redskins released him as an unrestricted free - agent , upon which on March 16 , 2006 , he signed a two - year , $ 2 million contract with the Buffalo Bills , which included a $ 300 , 000 signing bonus . He appeared in five games for the Bills and was subsequently released on March 1 , 2007 . After playing career . Bowen currently works as a sports journalist for the National Football Post website , where he provides a player ' s perspective on the inner workings of the league . In addition , he is a weekly contributor to the Chicago Tribune website . Starting in 2011 , he is also a contributor on the Boers and Bernstein show . He is also pursuing a masters degree in journalism from DePaul University .