BOZEMAN — Montana State senior safety Caden Dowler, a returning All-American and the reigning Big Sky defensive player of the year, will wear the Bobcats’ legacy jersey No. 41 during the 2026 season, MSU head coach Brent Vigen announced.
Vigen said several attributes helped separate Caden Dowler in identifying the player wearing 41 in 2026.
“You start with looking at the body of his career, and you want someone that exemplifies what wearing that number should be all about. As a native Montanan, Caden really gravitates toward the ideals of our football program in a way that embodies the spirit of what wearing the No. 41 for the Bobcats really means.”
WATCH: Montana State set for Sonny Holland Spring Game on Saturday
MSU’s legacy jersey is worn each season by a Montana product in a tribute to Montana State’s 1941 football team. Fourteen Bobcat football players from that team, and several preceding it, lost their lives in World War II. The jersey number is also a nod to Montana’s status as the 41st state admitted to the Union.
“You certainly go back to the 1941 team and the clear and obvious evidence that those teams through that stretch of the late ‘30s and early ‘40s produced players that paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” Vigen said. “I know being the 41st state is a piece to it, but it's way more about representing that group of men from those teams back in the '40s.”
Citing Dowler’s ability to “weather multiple storms,” Vigen said “Caden is just a tremendous story of perseverance and hard work.”
After fighting through injuries during his first three seasons at MSU, Dowler posted one of the most impactful seasons in Bobcat history during his first full season in 2025. The junior earned consensus All-America honors, and became the 10th Bobcat named the league’s defensive MVP.
Dowler intercepted six passes in 2025, including at least one in five straight late-season games. His pick-sixes during against nationally-ranked UC Davis and Montana helped boost the Cats to wins in both those games.
While acknowledging the significance of the legacy jersey in honor Montana State University’s heritage of service and sacrifice, Dowler said the most immediate impact is joining a prestigious list of Bobcats to wear the jersey since gaining its current status in 2018.
“Knowing the players that have worn this number before me,” he said, “that makes it really special.”
Dowler was presented a scholarship attached to the jersey number after Thursday’s practice by Grant Collins (No. 41 in 2018, a Bozeman High product) and Belgrade’s Brayden Konkol (2019), two owner/operators of Montana Build Group. MSU’s legacy jersey was previously worn by Chase Benson (Helena) in 2021, RJ Fitzgerald (Dillon) in 2022, current Bobcat assistant coach Nolan Askelson (Billings) in 2023, Brody Grebe (Melstone) in 2024 and Paul Brott (Billings) last season. Troy Andersen was tabbed as No. 41 in 2020, but that season was eventually canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Montana State closes spring drills on Saturday with the Sonny Holland scrimmage. The event begins with the presentation of 2025 national championship rings at 12:45 p.m., and the scrimmage at 1. The event is free and open to the public.
