Robert Cleckler Bowden was born on 8 November 1929, in Birmingham, Alabama USA, and is a retired football coach, best known to have been the coach of the Florida State University Seminoles team from 1976 to 2009. He helped the team win numerous championships, and all of his efforts have helped put his net worth to where it is today.
How rich is Bobby Bowden? As of late-2016, sources estimate a net worth that is at $14 million, mostly earned through a successful career as a football coach. Some of the titles he won include the Associated Press and Coaches Poll National Title, BCS National Championship, and the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship. All of these helped ensure the position of his wealth.
Bobby Bowden Net Worth $14 million
As he was growing up, Bobby developed a love for football and would regularly listen to University of Alabama football games on Saturdays. He attended and played at Woodlawn High School, and after matriculating, he went to the University of Alabama as a quarterback and later transferred to Howard College. During his time there he ran track, played baseball and football. During his senior year he became the captain of the football team and would earn All-American honors. He eventually graduated from the school in 1953.
After graduating, he served as an assistant football coach at Howard College, and became the track and field coach of the school too. He only stayed a year in his position, since he was offered the position of Athletic Director of South Georgia College, where he would handle basketball, baseball, and football. He did so for three years, and then returned to Howard as head coach, compiling a record of 31-6 from 1959 to 1962. Afterwards, he went to Florida State University as an assistant coach and would stay there for another three years, and then went to West Virginia University, followed by becoming the head coach of Texas Tech in 1969. He went on and gave the school a 42-26 record before returning to FSU as head coach.
Bowden became the head coach of the Seminoles in 1976. The team had a bad record during the previous three seasons, but would quickly improve under Bowden’s leadership. During his 34 year stay there, his first was his only losing season with the team, and he reportedly denied offers from various universities as well as the NFL during his tenure. He would go on and help the Seminoles win the national championship in 1993 and 1999. From 1987 to 2000, he finished every season in the top 5 of the Associated Press College Football Poll and the team always had at least 10 wins.
During the course of his career, Bowden was awarded the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award in 1980, and also received the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award in 1991. The following year, he received the Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award as recognition for his numerous coaching achievements.
For his personal life, it is known that Bobby married his high school sweetheart Ann Estock in April 1949; they have six children and 21 grandchildren. He is a Christian and credits his success to his faith. Three of his sons have gone on to have coaching careers as well.
