49ers’ Nick Bosa’s love of game kept him from quitting after ACL tear

SANTA CLARA – Nick Bosa’s surgically repaired knees are up for yet another comeback.

Eight months ago, he wasn’t so sure.

He’d torn an anterior cruciate ligament for the third time in 11 years. He was an expert in the “lonely” gloom of knee reconstruction. He pondered his options.

“You start out wanting to quit, never play again and never put your body in that position again,” Bosa, 28, recalled Thursday, in his first media session since his right knee gave out Sept. 21. “Then slowly you realize that you love this game and you want to get back to it.

“I mean I’ve never doubted I can get back to where I am,” Bosa added. “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 ACLs pretty good, I’m feeling pretty good, and my mind is also better.”

Bosa’s recovery has him poised to suit up for the 49ers’ regular season against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia (Sept. 10, 5:35 p.m PT). He wasn’t participating in Thursday’s organized team activities, but he’s been present for the voluntary offseason program, as have all except left tackle Trent Williams, who coach Kyle Shanahan expects to arrive next week.

Getting Bosa back is vital to a 49ers defense that ranked last in the NFL last season with just 20 sacks. He got off to a hot start with a strip sack of Sam Darnold to clinch the 49ers’ opening win in Seattle, added another sack in their Week 2 victory at New Orleans, then got hurt on a first-quarter pass rush in the 49ers’ home-opening win against Arizona.

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

This is right knee’s second ACL repair, having initially torn it his senior year at St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He ruptured his left knee’s ACL in Week 2 of the 2020 season. This comeback isn’t like that one.

“When I did it in ’20, it was just like balls-to-the-wall, get back, push every milestone as hard as you possibly can,” Bosa recalled. “I probably dealt with stuff I didn’t need to deal with in terms of bumps in the road in recovery. Now I’m taking it slow. I’ve had references to go back and look at. … all the rest of my body feels pretty darn good. My fingers haven’t felt this good in probably 20 years.”

He wasn’t exactly alone in his rehabilitation. He was joined in the trainer’s room by linebacker Fred Warner (Week 5 ankle fracture) and then, a month later, fellow starting defensive end Mykel Williams also tore an ACL.

To further improve their pass rush, new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris figures to institute more five-man fronts and less predictable pressures, though Bosa said that won’t alter his style, which produced a NFL-high 18 ½ sacks in 2022 when he won AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

“It just sets us up in a better position to stop some of the ways offenses are starting to attack the edge,” Bosa said. “But I’ll be playing the same attacking football like I always do.”

He’ll be doing it alongside new linemen, including third-round pick Romello Height, whom he praised as “explosive and polished.”

As for whether older brother Joey Bosa could sign with the 49ers a decade into his own career, “I think he’s working on his golf game. I don’t think he’s thinking too much about football,” Nick Bosa said.

Shanahan said of a possible Bosa-brothers reunion: “That’d be awesome, but that stuff’s not always possible.”

GUERENDO SIDELINED

Running back Isaac Guerendo, a potential top backup to Christian McCaffrey, is out until at least late August after tearing a pectoral muscle while lifting weights last month, Shanahan said.

Guerendo has dealt with hamstring, knee, ankle and shoulder injuries in his two years since arriving as a fourth-round pick.

Jordan James served as Thursday’s starter while Christian McCaffrey had the day off, after participating in Wednesday’s OTA opener. Third-round pick Kaelon Black rotated in with James, Jermar Jefferson and Jordan Mims, the latter two of whom signed Thursday. Those roster spots opened as Sincere McCormick got waived and safety Darrick Forrest went on Injured Reserve.

EVANS AMONG DNPs

Wide receiver Mike Evans took part in Wednesday’s initial OTAs before returning to his offseason home in Texas for family obligations, Shanahan said.

Tight end George Kittle (Achilles), offensive lineman Brett Toth (unknown ailment), and defensive tackle Alfred Collins (knee) were among those doing conditioning work with trainers.

LINEBACKERS’ REUNION

Linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw did not participate in team drills but instead watched them together from deep in the secondary, behind Morris and near general manager John Lynch.

“It just feels like home, being beside a guy like Fred, his love for the game radiates throughout the team with his leadership and voice,” Greenlaw said. “To have someone like that so confident next to you, it settles you and makes you feel like home.”

QUARTERBACK ROTATION

With Brock Purdy at the helm of the four-man quarterback unit, Mac Jones warmed up but did not take part in any team drills because of a sore shoulder, Shanahan said. Adrian Martinez and Kurtis Rourke worked in behind Purdy, whose best completion in 11-on-11 work was a deep shot to Ricky Pearsall down the right side against Eli Apple’s coverage.

TRAVEL PLANS

The 49ers will arrive in Australia a week ahead of their regular-season opener in Melbourne against the Los Angeles Rams. A three-game homestand follows for the 49ers, but Shanahan said, “that doesn’t mean anything. It means you’re going to have three more road games in December and January. So, that’s my answer on three home games.”

Another extended trip awaits, as they’ll likely go right from visiting the Dallas Cowboys to altitude training in Colorado Springs, Colo., before hosting the Minnesota Vikings in Mexico City. “The main thing with Mexico City is it’s 2,000 miles (actually, 2,070-feet) higher than Denver. And so, we like to get adjusted to that altitude,” Shanahan said.

LEFT GUARD BATTLE

Connor Colby lined up at left guard on the first-string unit, followed by veteran Robert Jones in the offense’s only open competition. Right tackle Colton McKivitz praised Colby’s ability to play faster than his rookie-season cameo.

JOINT PRACTICES

Joint practices are expected to happen with the Tennessee Titans and the Los Angeles Chargers before those preseason games in August, Shanahan said. The 49ers host coach Robert Saleh’s Titans on Aug. 15 before the 49ers pay an Aug. 20 visit to the Los Angeles Chargers and ex-Niners coach Jim Harbaugh. Training camp isn’t expected to open until July 31.