After Bradley Bozeman became the football field version of Batman — delivering vigilante justice by pinning Saints defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd to the field after a dangerous takedown of quarterback Justin Herbert — the Chargers center’s wife, Nikki Bozeman, drove from SoFi Stadium on Sunday night home hoping the response would simply remain in the family’s favor.
With a boost from the Chargers, things got even better.
After the Chargers used Bozeman’s viral moment of vigilante justice to get information about the… Bradley and Nikki Bozeman Foundation on social media, more than 150 fans donated to the charitable efforts tackle food insecurity and fight bullying. With many donations of $10 for No. 10 or $75 for No. 75, the foundation quickly raised more than $3,700.
“It was really something that was just a sports moment, and then it became something that was really cool to help our foundation,” Nikki said.
Nikki and Bradley have received messages thanking him for defending Herbert in a play called “one of the nastiest” he has ever seen.
Herbert had already advanced the ball to running back JK Dobbins when Shepherd awkwardly twisted the quarterback’s right ankle and pulled him to the ground.
Read more: Chargers-Saints takeaways: Ladd McConkey has big hands and two touchdowns in win
Bozeman attacked Shepherd to push him off Herbert in a retaliatory move. Fox play-by-play announcer Chris Myers noted that this could be seen as an unofficial continuation of the Bozemans’ anti-bullying campaign.
The couple initially started their foundation to educate children about the dangers of bullying. Bradley, a two-time national champion at Alabama, and Nikki, a forward for the Crimson Tide basketball team, started by cold-calling schools in the Tuscaloosa area. Soon they were invited to speak at schools across the state. After Bradley was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, the speaking engagements grew into a cross-country RV trip with 20 schools in 18 states before the COVID-19 pandemic.
As they received feedback from children during the pandemic, the Bozemans shifted their focus to food insecurity, working with food banks to pack snack boxes that are distributed by police officers to children in low-income neighborhoods. While the program is already underway in Baltimore and Charlotte, NC, the Bradley and Nikki Bozeman Foundation has distributed 3.5 million meals.
After the seven-year pro signed with the Chargers this offseason, the Bozemans began working with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to finalize plans to launch the SYNC snack box program (serving your neighbors and community) in Los Angeles. Nikki’s intention is to ensure that “the hardest hit zip codes” are at the top of the list.
In addition to a financial contribution, the foundation is looking for volunteers who can help pack boxes. Volunteers can register via the website contact page on the foundation’s website.
Chargers players and staff, including coach Jim Harbaugh, volunteered in Charlotte early this season. With about 50 people from the Chargers in attendance, the group set a record with 1,000 boxes packed in 26 minutes.
“You coming for two hours is exponentially more than what you could give us in money,” Nikki said. “You guys coming to help and boots on the ground and having that experience with us to be able to change our community is so exponential [more] more helpful to us than anything.”
The couple, who got engaged after the 2018 Alabama football national championship when Bradley proposed in a shower of confetti on the field, have long been involved in community service.
Nikki, a 6-foot-4 forward whose 88 career blocks ranked sixth in Alabama history when she graduated in 2016, was a Senior CLASS award candidate and a nominee for the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team, which honors athletes who have dedication demonstrated service in their communities.
Bradley is a three-time nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year, earning the honor twice in Baltimore and once in Carolina.
Read more: Chargers take Jim Harbaugh’s sometimes comical words very seriously
Given Bradley’s genius, Nikki was shocked to see how he reacted on Sunday. She had only seen that side of her husband once: when another man wouldn’t leave her alone in a bar. Bradley pushed him against the wall.
“Coming from Bradley, someone where it’s not their baseline, it’s not their normal, you really know something serious has happened,” Nikki said.
Bozeman told Nikki that he saw Shepherd look at Herbert’s right ankle, which injured the quarterback during Week 2, before continuing to twist Herbert’s leg as he pulled him to the ground. Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira called the foul “vicious” on the TV broadcast.
After seeing the criticism of the play, Saints coach Dennis Allen said he disagreed with it.
“I don’t think it’s right,” he told reporters on Monday. “Here’s a guy trying to tackle the quarterback. He’s on the ground. He has no idea if the quarterback has the ball or not. He’s just trying to get the quarterback on the ground. There was nothing malicious about the play .” He’s a guy trying to make the play.”
The compensatory penalties negated a first down for the Chargers but galvanized the team on the game’s first touchdown drive, a 15-play, 90-yard march that ended with a one-yard run by Dobbins.
Harbaugh said in the locker room afterward that everyone deserved a game ball for the victorious effort, but singled out about a half-dozen players, including Herbert, rookie receiver Ladd McConkey and punter JK Scott.
Bozeman got the loudest cheers.
DJ Chark Jr. approaching return
Wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. (groin) was limited in practice on Wednesday, but said if he continues on his current trajectory, he could be in position to make his long-awaited season debut against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
The receiver is in the final week of his 21-day return window after being activated from injured reserve on Oct. 16.
The Chargers have until Nov. 4 to move Chark to the active roster or place him on seasonal injured reserve.
With Quentin Johnston (ankle) and Derius Davis (hamstring) returning to training in a limited capacity on Wednesday after missing two games, Chark believed the receiving group could soon take the field together as it was intended.
“I can’t wait to play with my boys,” Chark said. “I love these guys, they are great teammates. “I’m just excited to come in, do my part – nothing more, nothing less – and help the team win.”
Etc.
Tight ends Will Dissly (shoulder) and Stone Smartt (ankle), cornerback Kristian Fulton (hamstring) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (toe) did not practice Wednesday. … Outside linebacker Joey Bosa (hip) was limited after playing 19 snaps against the Saints in his first game appearance since Week 3.
Get the day’s best, most interesting and strangest stories from the LA sports scene and beyond with our newsletter The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
