The San Francisco 49ers are in first place in the NFC West with a 3-0 record but the injury bug bit them hard again on Monday as star pass rusher Nick Bosa is believed to have torn his ACL, according to reports from multiple sources. Bosa leads the team with 2 sacks in the first three games but left Sunday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals and 14 snaps and a forced fumble.
The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year and five-time Pro Bowler will miss the majority of the season for the second time in his career if he tore his ACL, as believed.
The Rams play the 49ers for the first time this season on Thursday Night Football in Week 5, which is less than two weeks away. Bosa will obviously not be there. The two teams meet again in Week 10 at SoFi Stadium.
With star Bosa on the field, the 49ers defense got off to a roaring start in 2025, ranking third in points allowed and fourth in yards allowed. Bosa leads the defense with 4 pressures, followed by offseason trade acquisition Bryce Huff and Yetur Gross-Matos at 2 each. Huff also has two sacks.
The 49ers must now turn to those players to fill the void of one of the top defensive players in the NFL. Bosa signed a $170 million contract in 2023 with an average value of $34 million per year. That number is now dwarfed by Micah Parsons at $46.5 million. Bosa will probably not be signing another extension any time soon.
How much do you think this injury impacts the NFC West race? Do the Rams stand a greater chance of beating the 49ers without Bosa? Who is the current favorite to win the NFC West?