Image Courtesy of Tay Gowan on Twitter.
On paper, the Minnesota Vikings CB room is missing seasoned veteran experience, employing Byron Murphy, Andrew Booth, and Akayleb Evans as startable candidates in 2023.
But don’t tell that to Tay Gowan.
The 25-year-old used Twitter this week to affirm his commitment to excellence in the NFL, and he doesn’t much care if folks don’t believe him.
Gowan tweeted Saturday, “In my football career God has always made me wait my turn…I’ve been doing that. Every time I got my turn I showed out! Bring out the fil. #MyYear.”
“I know what I’m capable of and I know what I bring to the table,” Gowan added.
The Arizona Cardinals drafted Gowan in the 6th Round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He remained a Cardinal for six months before the Zach Ertz trade, joining the Philadelphia Eagles for the rest of 2021. The defender stayed then with the Eagles for 10 months but was waived during last summer’s roster trimdowns.
And that’s where the Vikings entered the chat, scooping Gowan off the waiver wire and plopping him on the roster for the 2022 season. As a Viking, Gowan played in three regular season games, encompassing 15 special teams plays and zero defensive snaps.
With an impressive summer in the coming months, Gowan hopes to make the 53-man roster and effectuate his Twitter promise. Minnesota is predicted to add one of a couple of cornerbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft — and perhaps free agency if the draft plan falls through — but that doesn’t seem to faze Gowan.
Gowan’s proclamations appeared to kickstart over a spat involving The Purple Code’s Rick Sosa. Sizing up the Vikings current roster on Friday, Sosa tweeted, “The Vikings have no quality WRs beyond Jefferson, no quality CBs beyond Murphy, are thin at LB and iOL, have only 5 picks..but somehow they should draft a QB at 23 or move up to draft one because some don’t like Kirk Cousins LOL. Skol.”
Various Vikings players pounced, including Gowan, perceiving the tweet as a supreme insult. “Keep this same energy!” Gowan replied to the Sosa tweet.
Third-year wide receiver K.J. Osborn was particularly peeved by the Sosa remarks, responding, “Hey Rick, sorry to bother ya! Just taking some notes here. Can you please describe your definition of “quality” for me please? Just curious.”
Gowan played 44 defensive snaps with the Eagles in 2021 and allowed 1 completion on 2 targets.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.