SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 19: Inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman #53 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts in the first half while taking on the Seattle Seahawks during the 2014 NFC Championship at CenturyLink Field on January 19, 2014 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
NaVorro Bowman saw three of his fellow linebackers retire during the offseason. Jonathan Ferrey Getty Images
San Francisco linebacker NaVorro Bowman doesn't think it's fair to judge first-year coach Jim Tomsula on the team's 2-4 record.
Tomsula stepped into a quagmire of sorts in his first head coaching job. Not only has he had to replace the wildly popular Jim Harbaugh, but Tomsula also inherited a roster that underwent a massive offseason overhaul.
"I think him being dealt this hand of players, with the young guys being asked to play such a high-valued (role), I think he's doing a great job," Bowman told reporters. "We all love him as a player's coach. I think he does a great job with balancing how he's coaching and how he's treating us off the field also."
Bowman is still trying to regain his form after missing the entire 2014 season with a serious knee injury. He saw the defense ravaged by four retirements, including three among the linebacker corps.
"We've lost a lot," Bowman said. "Everyone understands that we can't use that as an excuse. We've got to get on the same page. I think we got that shown to us early on in the season, and it's a challenge for us.
"I think me and (outside linebacker) Ahmad Brooks are probably the only two guys from the 2011 defense to now," Bowman added. "So it's a challenge for us, but we're looking forward to the battle."
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