San Francisco 49ers

NaVorro Bowman and Michael Wilhoite are developing on-field chemistry

Published Jun. 3, 2015 2:05 p.m. ET

foxsports

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Michael Wilhoite spent all of last season replacing all-pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman. Now that Patrick Willis has retired, Wilhoite and Bowman are playing together for the first time

Bowman was so used to playing alongside Willis that they knew what each other would do, but now he is trying to develop that same sort of chemistry with Wilhoite.

“It’s strange,” Bowman said of Willis’ absence to the 49ers official website. “But when me and Pat first got introduced to (former defensive coordinator) Vic (Fangio) and his scheme, everything was new. That’s how me and Mike are treating this thing. Just learning everything as much as possible and learning together.”

Bowman has been impressed with what he has seen so far out of Wilhoite.

“He’s a hard worker,” Bowman said. “He understands that he had to crawl before he could walk. … He’s doing a great job. The crazy thing is some of the things that I don’t know or don’t say, Mike says it. So it’s really working out.”

(h/t San Francisco 49ers)