BOZEMAN — On Wednesday, Montana State announced its captains for the 2025 season.
This year’s group, chosen by their teammates, includes defensive linemen Paul Brott and Kenneth Eiden IV, defensive back Caden Dowler, offensive linemen Titan Fleischmann and JT Reed, and running back Adam Jones.
"It’s an honor," said Brott, who hails from Billings. "I’ve always wanted to be a captain here. You know, you want to be ‘41.’ You want to be captain, an All-American, conference championship, all that here. ... It’s a dream come true really. I get to be a captain at my favorite school since I’ve been a little kid."
Brott joins his brother Mitch as the fourth set of brothers to represent as captains of the team. Sticking with the family tradition, Eiden and his dad are the second father-son duo in program history to earn the honor.
"My dad and I have a lot of love for this program, so just getting to carry on the legacy from him and keep holding the standard high for Bobcat football is a really big honor," the Bozeman native explained.
Both Brott and Eiden join Reed as the three seniors with the honor this year.
Reed has battled through adversity and injury throughout his career but always finds a way to push through. He shared what he’s learned over his career that has culminated in becoming a captain.
"Change is inevitable, but growth is optional, and I think over these past six years, I’ve been here forever, but I think my teammates, my coaches, my family, my girlfriend and myself have forced me to grow, and I’m super honored and thankful that my teammates chose me to lead them this year," Reed reflected.
Fleischmann explained how great it will be to share the captaincy with his fellow offensive lineman in Reed.
"Oh man, dude, sharing it with JT is special," he said. "That’s my brother. We’ve been through so much together here. We’ve both been injured together. We’ve both played together. We’ve been through a lot together, and we both stuck together throughout the whole thing. It’s super special when it’s somebody you’re that close with."
Jones becomes one of the few sophomore captains in program history, and the first since his former teammate and Bobcat legend Tommy Mellott had the honor.
"It’s rare, but I think in this program it just goes to show that you don’t have to wait to be a leader," the Missoula native said. "If you’re ready, if you’re willing to put in that work, guys are going to recognize it. Coaches are going to recognize it, and I think that’s a pretty special part of what Montana State has to offer."
Dowler, another Bobcat from Billings, has been one of the most talented players for the Cats, but has suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries. Despite that, he’s stuck to the process and remained a standout teammate, which is how he earned this honor.
"The biggest thing is just responding well to adversity," Dowler explained of how he was able to bounce back from his injuries. "Responding good when stuff goes good for you and responding good when stuff goes bad for you because the next decision is always the most important decision and putting myself in a position where when I come back, I’m not behind."
