The rest of the NFC West might want to look away, but San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is officially back in the fold. General manager John Lynch confirmed Saturday afternoon that the two-time Pro Bowler has been cleared for the start of training camp, putting to rest any lingering fears that he might begin the summer on the physically unable to perform list.
Bosa's 2025 campaign was cut short in Week 3 when he suffered a torn ACL, a devastating blow to a 49ers pass rush that had leaned heavily on the former No. 2 overall pick. Over his career, Bosa has piled up 278 tackles, 168 quarterback hits, 64.5 sacks, and 13 forced fumbles — numbers that underscore just how hard it is to replace a player of his caliber.
“You don’t just replace a guy like Nick,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said during the season. “Everyone’s got to continue to get better at everything. 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.”
Now, with Bosa cleared for camp, the 49ers can breathe a little easier. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner reports that Bosa will be “gradually worked back into the mix” this summer, a cautious approach that makes sense given the severity of his injury. Still, the team is optimistic he’ll be ready for a Week 1 showdown against the Los Angeles Rams.
The timing of the announcement comes during an eventful week for Bosa off the field. Just two days ago, he broke a social media silence dating back to November 2022 by reacting to a story about ESPN laying off NFL analyst Ryan Clark. The move sparked chatter among fans, especially given Clark’s pointed criticism of Bosa during the 2024 season.
“So it seems very clear to me. Nick Bosa understands that when you wear that hat [MAGA], you take a side. You take a side of division in a sport that’s supposed to bring us together,” Clark said at the time. “I’m just waiting for all the people who comment under political and sports things to ‘shut up and dribble’ or to ‘shut up and play football’ to tell him to shut up and rush.”
Whatever the motivation behind the post, the 49ers are simply thrilled to have their star pass rusher back in the fold. Bosa’s return not only bolsters a defense that struggled without him but also adds a jolt of energy to a team with Super Bowl aspirations. For a franchise that has seen its share of roster shuffles — including the recent cut of a Heisman runner-up in another camp — having Bosa healthy is a massive win.
As training camp gets underway, all eyes will be on how Bosa is eased back into action. But for now, the message from San Francisco is clear: the wrecking ball is back, and the NFC West has been warned.
