Tim Bowens (born February 7, 1973) is a former American football defensive tackle who played eleven seasons for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Mississippi, and was chosen with the 20th pick of the 1994 NFL Draft draft by the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins received some initial criticism for the pick, because he was overweight and had only played nine games in his college career at Mississippi. In his rookie year in 1994, Bowens was named The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. He played with the Miami Dolphins for 12 years before he retired after the 2004 NFL season after back injuries took their toll.