San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa expects to return to the field during training camp in the summer of 2026 and start the upcoming season on schedule.
Speaking during his first news conference since the injury in September 2025, Bosa expressed encouragement regarding the pace of his rehabilitation.
Bosa noted that the early period following the surgery was difficult, particularly given the high level of play he had maintained for himself and the 49ers defense at...
San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa expects to return to the field during training camp in the summer of 2026 and start the upcoming season on schedule. Bosa is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, an injury that occurred during Week 3 of the 2025 season and marked the third major knee injury of his professional career.
Speaking during his first news conference since the injury in September 2025, Bosa expressed encouragement regarding the pace of his rehabilitation. While he remains optimistic about his current trajectory, he admitted that the initial stages of the recovery process were challenging.
Bosa noted that the early period following the surgery was difficult, particularly given the high level of play he had maintained for himself and the 49ers defense at the start of the 2025 campaign.
From Instagram — related to San Francisco, Nick Bosa Bosa
It was rough early on, obviously. You just want to be able to play, especially how good things were going for the defense and me personally. I felt I was at a pretty high level to start the year. Then as you start out wanting to quit, never play again and never put your body in that position again. Then slowly you realize that you love this game and you want to get back to it. I never doubted that I could get back to where I am.
Nick Bosa
Bosa indicated that his previous experience with similar injuries has informed his current approach to rehabilitation. He emphasized the importance of not rushing the process, noting that he had a window of more than 11 months between the September 2025 injury and the start of the 2026 season.
He compared this recovery to a previous injury in 2020, during which he attempted to push through every milestone as quickly as possible. Bosa stated that this urgency led to bumps in the road of recovery and issues he likely could have avoided. By taking a slower approach this time, he is utilizing past experiences as references to ensure a more stable return.
The return of the star edge rusher is viewed as a critical necessity for the San Francisco defense. During the 2025 season, the 49ers’ unit struggled significantly with pass rushing, ranking last in the NFL with only 20 sacks.
Since being drafted second overall in 2019, Bosa has established himself as one of the most productive players at his position. In the five seasons where he remained healthy through the opening month, he recorded at least nine sacks per season. His career highlights include winning the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022, a season in which he led the league with 18.5 sacks.
Joe Burrow & Nick Bosa Knee Injury Recovery
According to data from Sportradar, Bosa has accumulated 74.5 sacks in the regular season and playoffs since 2019, the fifth-most in the NFL during that period despite missing nearly two full seasons. His 280 total pressures rank fourth-most in the league over the same span.
While the 49ers seek to bolster their pass rush, a potential reunion between Nick and his older brother, Joey Bosa, appears unlikely. Joey Bosa remains unsigned after spending the 2025 season with Buffalo, where he recorded five sacks in 15 games. As Joey approaches his 31st birthday in July 2026, Nick suggested his brother may not be focused on football, stating that he believes Joey is working on his golf game right now.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the value of adding a player of Joey Bosa’s caliber but remained noncommittal about the possibility.
I look at our team as kind of we have our team and anyone else that we can figure out to bring, especially someone like that, that’d be awesome. But that stuff’s not always possible.
Nick Bosa on Track
Kyle Shanahan
The 49ers are dealing with other personnel setbacks as they prepare for the 2026 season. Running back Isaac Guerendo suffered a torn pectoral muscle while lifting weights, a setback that Shanahan expects will keep him sidelined until late in training camp.
Guerendo, a fourth-round pick in 2024, showed early promise as a rookie by rushing for 430 yards on 84 carries with four touchdowns. However, he saw a significant drop in usage during the 2025 season after the team acquired Brian Robinson to serve as the backup to Christian McCaffrey. Guerendo did not record a single offensive snap during the 2025 season, serving exclusively on special teams.
Further roster adjustments include the waiving of running back Sincere McCormick and the signing of running backs Jordan Mims and Jermar Jefferson to provide depth. The team has placed safety Darrick Forrest on injured reserve.
