Nick Bosa's Confident Return: 49ers Star Set to Shine Against Steelers

 

Nick Bosa's Confident Return: Ready to Tackle the Steelers

Hey there, football fans! It's been just two days since Nick Bosa rejoined the San Francisco 49ers, but he's already sending a clear message - he's gearing up to hit the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday.

"I'm confident," Bosa assured, adding, "I'm not sure what coach Kyle Shanahan's plan is, but I would be up for a normal workload, for sure."

Fresh off a record-setting five-year, $170 million contract extension (with an eye-popping $122.5 million in guarantees), Bosa met with Bay Area media for the first time since sealing the deal. 

He took it easy during Thursday's practice and then went full throttle in Friday's half-speed session.

Shanahan's Take on Bosa's Return

Coach Shanahan had a grin on his face when he shared that he fully expected Bosa to hit the field on Sunday, jokingly saying the only thing that could've stopped it was if Bosa showed up with a "beer belly." 

Thankfully, that didn't happen, and the Niners are thrilled with Bosa's return after his 43-day hiatus.

Shanahan couldn't help but express his satisfaction, stating, "He looked exactly how we were expecting him to look. 

Looks in really good shape. 

Looks ready to go. We got an idea how we're going to use him and I think he'll do all right."

What's the Game Plan?

Now, how much action Bosa will see against the Steelers is still up in the air. Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks made it clear that it'll be decided by how the game unfolds.

"It is not really trying to put a limit on what he can do," Wilks explained. "It's just trying to get a feel, and once we get into the game then go from there."

Relief and Excitement for Bosa

Zooming out a bit, Bosa couldn't contain his excitement about being a part of the Niners' lineup for the long haul. 

After his outstanding 2022 Defensive Player of the Year performance, Bosa repeatedly voiced his confidence that a new contract was on the horizon.

When no deal materialized, Bosa spent six weeks down in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while his agent, Brian Ayrault, worked out the biggest contract in NFL history for a non-quarterback, in terms of both annual value and guarantees.

The waiting game definitely brought its fair share of nerves, Bosa admitted. "There's certain points throughout it that are more stressful than others," he revealed. 

"But I trust the team around me and I know that they have my best interest in mind. And I trusted the 49ers organization and all of them to work well with my guys. I had trust all along, but it definitely was stressful."

Settling Back into the Game

After the ink dried on the contract, Bosa jetted over to the Bay Area, arriving late at night. 

He got down to business with some individual drills on Thursday and kicked it up a notch on Friday, even if it was more of a walk-through pace.

To make room for Bosa, the Niners bid farewell to veteran defensive end Austin Bryant on Friday. Bosa's set to be activated on Saturday.

Injury Update

With Bosa's return, the Niners are heading into the opener in pretty good shape health-wise. 

There were 13 players on the injury report this week, but only two didn't get the green light for Friday's final status report.

Tight end George Kittle (dealing with a groin issue) and cornerback Charvarius Ward (a heel concern) are listed as questionable for Sunday. Both were limited in Friday's practice. 

Kittle was on restricted duty in all three practices this week. On the flip side, safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee), kicker Jake Moody (quad), safety Tashaun Gipson (back), linebacker Oren Burks (knee), running back Jordan Mason (foot), and receiver/returner Ray-Ray McCloud (wrist) are good to go.

That means Moody, the 99th pick in this year's NFL draft, is stepping up to handle kicking duties in his inaugural regular-season game, finally answering one of the team's biggest injury questions coming out of the preseason.

So, fans, get ready for an exciting showdown this Sunday as Bosa gears up to make his mark against the Steelers! Stay tuned for all the action!