Tay Gowan, the former Philadelphia Eagles and well-traveled NFL corner, is writing a book, and he isn’t just writing about football. He’s writing about what the game takes, and what it gives. He’s writing about sacrifice, about belief, about how fragile this dream really is. And for young players trying to make it, or fans who’ve only ever seen the field on Sundays, his perspective is rare. His path was scarred with adversity, homelessness, college transfers, COVID-19 risks, and a premature daughter fighting to breathe. Yet he stood tall through all of it, and wants to share his experiences.
“I wrote this book because I believe everything I’ve been through was part of a greater purpose. The challenges I faced — the moments that broke me and the ones that built me — weren’t random. They were designed to be shared. I want the next generation of athletes to know they’re not alone in their struggles. This book is my way of showing how faith in God can carry you through anything. From being homeless to sleeping in cars, staying at friends’ houses just to keep going, staying focused on school, graduating from college, and eventually getting drafted. It’s all a testimony. I think there’s something powerful in that, and I want to share it with the world.”
The Journey
If you know even a little about his journey, you know this won’t be your standard ghostwritten NFL memoir filled with clichés and box scores. Gowan has lived through the underbelly of the process. He took the long road: Miami (OH), to JUCO, to UCF, to opting out of the COVID season to protect his daughter, to the NFL, where roster spots vanish faster than contracts get signed. He’s seen the side of football we don’t glamorize. And yet, he’s still standing. That’s the beauty of his project.
Tay wasn’t a blue-chip recruit or Combine darling, and he didn’t arrive with a polished SEC pedigree behind him. But what he had was harder to measure. Grit, focus, quiet confidence, and a survivor’s heart. Teams saw a raw, long-limbed corner out of UCF with a chip on his shoulder and a knack for frustrating wideouts. He looked like a player who could grow in the right system, the kind who earns every rep. Gowan wasn’t just playing for a roster spot; he was playing for something bigger. His mother’s sacrifices, his daughter’s future, and the opportunity for generational change.
Homeless to the NFL
Gowan hails from Covington, Georgia, and from shelters and temporary housing, from a family trying to hold it together. His mother, Linda, dropped out of high school to raise him. Tay became the man of the house before he ever strapped on shoulder pads. For Tay, football wasn’t a destiny. It was a lifeline.
Then COVID-19 hit. And Tay Gowan made a decision that told the world exactly who he was. He opted out of the 2020 season. Not for draft prep, not for personal gain, but to protect his family. His newborn daughter had been born premature. She caught COVID from him. His mother was hospitalized. Gowan walked away from the season, likely from millions, to be where he was needed most.
“I’ve been playing since I was five,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I’m a family man.” That wasn’t just a soundbite. That was the core of who he is.
Luckily, the game hadn’t given up on him. At UCF’s pro day, he ran a 4.44, jumped 35.5 inches, and turned in a 6.86 three-cone. That was enough for the Arizona Cardinals to draft him with the 223rd pick in 2021.
“I just signed my first contract, not my last.”
There was so much emotion in his voice. That rookie signing pen? He kept it in a case. He said he’d never let it go. Because that signature meant more than a job, it meant a better life for the people who had sacrificed for him.
Tay’s Story
Now, he’s sharing his life with the world. He explained to me why now was the perfect time to tell it.
“The story is still unfolding, but everything I’ve lived through up to this point is already worth telling. I didn’t want to wait until it was too late. Sometimes the right time to speak isn’t after the storm has passed, it’s while you’re still standing in the rain.”
And he is not holding back. Tay is opening up about receiving playbooks that are handed out on Tuesdays, and hospital visits on Wednesday. From practice squad to game day, from hotel rooms to homesickness. From survival, to silence, to hope. Gowan is putting it all on paper, and he shared with me what he hopes people take away from the book.
“I want them to remember this: no matter what you’re going through, give it to God and keep going. Stay positive. Someone out there is fighting a battle they haven’t spoken about — and sometimes your story is the one that helps them hold on. I hope this book becomes a starting point for anyone chasing a dream, whether it’s the NFL or something else. Embrace your purpose like your life depends on it. Don’t just want it, show why you deserve it. More than anything, I want people to walk away feeling seen, uplifted, and ready to write their own story.”
More Than a Roster Spot
There’s a quiet dignity in the stories we overlook. The players grinding on the fringe, the ones fighting for a roster spot every single day. The ones like Tay. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have something powerful to say. In fact, it probably means he has more.
“I realized I have more to offer than I ever gave myself credit for. I discovered that with faith, I can walk through any season of life with my head held high. I’ve always tried to be a good person, and this process reminded me of the purity in my heart. I found strength in the small things, and I saw clearly that I’ve always had it in me. In some ways, I learned I’ve been a superhero all along — the kind whose cape isn’t always visible.”
His story deserves to be more than a footnote in NFL history. Because for every first-round pick with a built-in path to stardom, there are hundreds like Tay. The ones who refused to give up. And for every fan who’s ever wondered what the NFL really feels like from the inside, this book is for you.
As always, thank you for reading!
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