Fate has delivered Swayze Bozeman to the New York Giants active roster at a rather serendipitious moment—that is, assuming the linebacker wants to see some friendly faces and show a former employer what he can do.
Bozeman was already on the fringes of making the Giants active roster as a practice squad player who was elevated in Week 2 for the team's loss to the Dallas Cowboys. But after the Giants suffered another injury to the linebacking corps earlier this week, Bozeman has been given a chance to stick around for a bit longer than getting a game-day pass.
The Giants promoted Bozeman on a more permanent basis earlier this week after placing linebacker Chris Board on injured reserve with a pectoral muscle issue. Linebacker Micah McFadden is already on IR, which puts the Giants' depth at a serious stress test as the Kansas City Chiefs come to town.
Former Chiefs linebacker Swayze Bozeman got promoted to the Giants roster at just the right time.
The Chiefs are visiting MetLife to face the Giants in Week 3 in a primetime showing that profiles as a far more depressing matchup than anyone could have predicted. Brian Daboll is likely on the hot seat in a premiere market, and his 0-2 start hasn't helped. Andy Reid's team is also 0-2, following season-opening losses to the Chargers and Eagles.
That's what makes the timing of Bozeman's elevation so much more interesting. While it's a (very) minor subplot, the Southern Miss star is getting a prime opportunity to climb the organizational ladder against his former team. The primetime affair on Sunday Night Football only brings a greater spotlight.
The Chiefs signed Bozeman as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2024 and he was able to stick with the team through training camp. Following roster cuts, he landed back on the practice squad and became an oft-promoted elevation to the active roster near season's end. Bozeman was a special teams contributor in the final three games of the regular season and the entirety of the postseason.
Bozeman isn't likely to earn a ton of reps, and it definitely won't be a talking point on any level. But for the young linebacker, Week 3's matchup between the Chiefs and Giants offers a meaningful chance to show what he can do to two different teams—motivated for different reasons.