The San Francisco 49ers are optimistic that defensive end Nick Bosa will be ready for training camp, and Bosa shares that outlook. After suffering a season-ending ACL injury in Week 3 of the 2025 season, the star pass rusher says his recovery remains on schedule, putting him in position to be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign.

That would be a significant boost for a 49ers defense that struggled to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks last season—especially after losing Bosa in the lineup.


While the 49ers opened organized team activities (OTAs) this week, Bosa is not yet participating in on-field drills. However, he continues to make steady progress and believes his return is not far off.

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"I'm pretty far along," Bosa said on Thursday. "I'm out on the field doing a lot of stuff, trying to just take it slow because I tend to push things quicker. Obviously, I got injured pretty early last year, so there's plenty of time for me to really kind of lay the groundwork to be ready for a long season.

"So, yeah, it's going really well, and I plan on being ready."

This marks Bosa's second ACL injury since entering the NFL and his third overall. The defensive end's last ACL injury was during the 2020 season, his second year in the league.

"It's different every time," Bosa explained. "Definitely a long road. Never fun, but as you get better physically, your mind gets better also. So, it's just not about looking ahead. Just about day by day, getting better, and I'm just working back. And then, kind of figuring things out as you go."


Before his injury-shortened 2025 campaign, Bosa had recorded 53.5 sacks over the previous four seasons, including an NFL-leading 18.5 sacks in 2022.

The veteran pass rusher acknowledged that his previous recovery experience helped him navigate the mental and physical challenges of this latest setback.

"I kind of have references to go back and look at," Bosa said. "But yeah, just mentally, obviously, I was in a different spot there than now. It's just a different time. My second one on this knee, so it was a little different.

"They took from that patella again, so the tendon needed a little more time to kind of adapt, which was an adjustment, but uh it feels great."

Bosa admitted that the recovery process was especially difficult in the early stages.


"Obviously, you just want to be able to play, especially how good things were going for the defense, and me personally," Bosa said. "I felt I was at a pretty high level to start the year. And then, you start out wanting to quit and never play again, and never put your body in that position again, and then slowly realize that you love this game, and you want to get back to it."

Despite the emotional challenges, Bosa never questioned whether he could return to form.

"I mean, I've never doubted that I could get back to where I am," Bosa said. "It's a good thing I play today, and not back when my dad did, because I probably wouldn't be playing anymore. But luckily, they fix you up pretty good, and I'm feeling really good.

"My mind is also better. I think I've obviously had a lot of time to work on that, and just kind of enjoy some time off. And all the rest of my body feels pretty darn good. My fingers probably haven't felt this good in 20 years, so yeah, I'm excited."

For the 49ers, a healthy Bosa could be the key to restoring a pass rush that fell short of expectations in 2025.

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