San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa will miss the rest of the season after an MRI confirmed he tore the ACL in his right knee. The injury, sustained late in the first quarter of Sunday’s game versus the Arizona Cardinals, was worse than initial sideline tests suggested.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Bosa had a hunch about the severity of his injury even before the MRI, and that the tear did not involve other knee ligaments—“as clean as it gets,” Shanahan remarked, which may help with recovery. Despite a strong start to the season, with impressive pass rush stats and key plays in early wins, Bosa’s absence leaves a major hole in San Francisco’s defense.
The team will need to lean more heavily on younger and less-experienced defensive ends — such as Mykel Williams, Bryce Huff, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Sam Okuayinonu — and possibly explore trade options, though Shanahan emphasized that any move must make sense for the team.
