SAN FRANCISCO– San Francisco 49er fans are thrilled the holdout is over. 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa has resigned with the 49ers in the nick of time, only three days before their week one matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Steel City on Sunday morning.
The Niners and Bosa have agreed to a five-year, $170 million extension that will make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
The deal’s timing also means there’s a realistic chance Bosa will be in his traditional red No. 97 jersey on Sunday in Pittsburgh. While Shanahan said he needs to talk to Bosa and see where he is health-wise, one thing the Niners have never questioned is whether Bosa, who has been training at his home in Fort Lauderdale, would stay in shape during his holdout.
Which is why Niners Head Coach Kyle Shanahan indicated Bosa will be ready to go for Sunday, even joking that Bosa would play “as many snaps” as the game would allow.
“There is (some) question because we haven’t seen him, but I think you guys know how I’m talking,” Shanahan said. “He’d have to have a beer belly and be out of shape or something and that’s not in Nick Bosa’s DNA.”
At just 25, Bosa has already proven to be one of the best players in the NFL.
Bosa registered an NFL-high 18.5 sacks, 51 tackles, two forced fumbles and 48 QB hits as he helped the 49ers become the league’s No. 1 ranked defense in 2022. His performance earned him the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award as well as his first career All-Pro recognition.
Bosa has amassed 156 tackles, 56 tackles for loss, 43 sacks and eight forced fumbles in 51 career regular season games.
Another benefit coming into 2023, San Francisco finally has their man at QB after years of uncertainty at the position. Their man is Brock Purdy, Jimmy Garoppolo is now a Las Vegas Raider, as for the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Trey Lance, he has been traded to the Dallas Cowboys.
While it’s true Trey Lance struggled in his brief tenure as the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, he only got a small sample size to prove his ability with only eight starts over three seasons.
The San Francisco 49ers are on the brink of winning a Super Bowl this year. The 49ers ended the 2022 NFL season on a sour note with their second straight NFC Championship Game loss.
The 49ers start the year with two games on the road but end the season with three of their last five games at Levi’s Stadium, with only one of those teams making the playoffs last year in Seattle. San Francisco has five prime-time games, including contests on Thanksgiving and Christmas for the first time in franchise history.
In the NFC West, the 49ers main competition for the NFC West Crown is the Seattle Seahawks. Most pundits and NFL fans believe the 49ers will once again win the NFC West.
Week one is Sunday morning, September 10. The San Francisco 49ers will battle the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Kickoff is slated for 10:00 a.m.
