San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa will miss the remainder of the NFL season due to a torn ACL in his right knee. Bosa suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. With under a minute to go in the game, he was sacked. His knee clearly bent at an unnatural angle, raising instant fears about an injury that could end his career.
Prior to the injury, Bosa put out an elite-level performance on the field. He tallied two sacks, eight pressures and 15 tackles in only the first two weeks of the season. His dazzling 21.9% pass rush win rate truly underscored his on-field dominance. Bosa’s ability to disrupt opposing offenses has been a cornerstone of the 49ers’ defensive strategy since he entered the league in 2019.
The 27-year-old defensive powerhouse had a track record of knee issues. In April of his senior year, he partially tore his ACL in his right knee. Then, Week 2 of the 2020 season, he had a full tear of the ACL in his left knee. Once he saw what happened on Sunday, Bosa proactively communicated his worries with head coach Kyle Shanahan. He was worried that he had re-torn his ACL for a second time.
“He was pretty confident that he did it,” – Kyle Shanahan
The team’s medical staff assured Bosa it would be need season-ending surgery once the swelling in his knee goes down. Fortunately, though, there’s some good news on the injury. On the bright side, Shanahan announced that the tear was “as clean as it gets” and that there were no other ligaments damaged.
“In terms of if you have an ACL, I was told that’s the kind that you want,” – Kyle Shanahan
I believe Bosa’s absence will be sorely and profoundly missed within the 49ers organization. Ever since the San Francisco 49ers added Bosa to their roster, the team has put together a monumental winning streak. With him on the uniform, they’ve gone 65-32 in regular and postseason games combined. They have been awful without him in the lineup, going a pitiful 6-12.
While speaking on Bosa’s injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan echoed the same sentiments, calling for other players to continue to be dominant in his absence.
“When you lose your better players, it gets harder. But throughout this year, I expect all of our players to get better as it goes. And that’s stressed even that much more when you lose a great one like Nick,” – Kyle Shanahan
The team is going to miss Bosa’s presence-defensively and in terms of setting the tone for a locker room culture-meaningful. They’re looking at possible trades to supplement their roster, too. We’ll look at the option to trade, Shanahan confirmed, but only if a legitimate opportunity exists.
“We will look at trades like we always do, but there’s got to be trade options that make sense for you and another team. You can’t just do that stuff just to do it,” – Kyle Shanahan
Bosa’s impact on the field seems just about certain. He leads the NFL with 142 QB hits since 2021, a value that represents his tireless pursuit of enemy signal-callers. He put together one of the most amazing seasons anyone can remember, winning 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. This remarkable feat proved his argument as one of the league’s top defensive talents.
While it’s a disappointment that Bosa won’t return this season, the team does receive a bit of financial relief. In 2026, the 49ers will receive close to $7 million in salary cap relief. This advantage stems from their intelligent insurance plan for season-ending injuries. This provision could give them quite a bit of wiggle room as they deal with the Bosa hole in their roster.
The newly formed organization has the looming challenge of the impending departure of their leading woman star. Alongside this, they need to determine a blueprint for long-term success.
“You don’t just replace a guy like Nick. Everyone’s got to continue to get better at everything,” – Kyle Shanahan
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