Raiders TE Brock Bowers Reveals Unwanted Development That Led to Absences

The Las Vegas Raiders are still undefeated after three weeks of football, thanks in part to the return of tight end Brock Bowers to action on Sunday.

In a Week 3 matchup against the New Orleans Saints at Ryan McFadden in New Orleans, the former Georgia Bulldogs star tight end put together a scintillating performance, reminding everyone what Las Vegas was missing during his absence in the first two weeks of the 2026 NFL season.

The 23-year-old Bowers paced Las Vegas with 116 receiving yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions and 13 carries, making life so much easier for veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.

“It felt good to be back,” Bowers said in the postgame press conference, via Ryan McFadden of ESPN.

Harbaugh Sounds off on Winston After Giants’ Week 3 Win Over the Titans

Sep 27, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (1) breaks up a pass intended by Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) in the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Bowers was a surprise scratch heading into Las Vegas’ Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins, as he underwent surgery to address a knee issue he dealt with during training camp.

“I thought it was nothing,” Bowers shared. “I thought it would go away before the start of the season, but I had to get it done and get it right before the long stretch of the season.”

What Bowers showed in the Saints game was just a glimpse of what he could do for the rest of the season — provided that he’s healthy, of course.

Bowers, a first-round pick by Las Vegas in the 2024 NFL Draft, made loud noises in his rookie season with 1,194 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 17 games. He only had 680 receiving yards in 12 games in 2025, but scored seven touchdowns.

With a 3-0 record and Bowers back on the field, the Raiders will look to go 4-0 as they face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in a battle between undefeated AFC West teams in Week 4.