ASHBURN, Va. -- On many days, Washington Redskins defensive end Stephen Bowen leaves practice and goes straight to the hospital to visit his infant son, who is now nearly the size of a regular newborn.
"I'm there all the time, any chance I get," Bowen said. "I'm just trying to be familiar with him, let him be familiar with me. And seeing him fighting, it was a long road for him."
This week, there will be a new milestone. Little Stephen III will be released from the hospital on Friday, if all goes well.
And it just so happens that the big day comes during a particularly excitable week at work for Dad. On Monday night, Bowen returns to face his old team when the Redskins visit the Dallas Cowboys.
"It's going to be emotional for me. I'm going to be ready to go," Bowen said Wednesday. "My only point is to go down there and get a win. ... I really want this win."
His teammates and coaches can only admire how he's able to handle it all.
"You're talking about someone who's mentally tough," coach Mike Shanahan said. "For him to be able to do what he's done is amazing in itself. I take my hat off to him. It sounds like the baby's doing well; it should be home Friday. I know that means a lot to him as it does the rest of the team."
To recap, Bowen and wife Tiffany became the parents of twins on June 28. Skyler and Stephen III were born extremely premature, some four months early, and Skyler died 10 days later. Stephen III remained hospitalized in Dallas while Bowen found himself on the move, signing a five-year, $27.5 million deal as a free agent with the Redskins, ending his five seasons with the Cowboys.
Bowen reported to his new team for training camp and didn't see his son for a month, relying on daily updates from his wife. Tiffany, Stephen III and the couple's young daughter, Trinity, finally were able to move to the Washington area a couple of weeks ago.
Stephen III weighed about 2 pounds when Bowen left Dallas. On Wednesday morning, Bowen received a text message from Tiffany with the latest encouraging update: 6 pounds, 5 ounces.
"There's nothing like seeing him in person," Bowen said. "It's a totally different baby. I'm just proud of him. ... It's just about him having great days in a row, and hopefully Friday will be the day for him to come home."
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
