To say the San Francisco 49ers were ravaged by the injury bug in 2020 is like saying the surface of the sun is balmy. Fact is, they were arguably the most negatively impacted by major and/or season-ending injuries, something Nick Bosa can attest to. The former second-overall pick barely got his wheels under him in September before suffering a torn ACL in Week 2 against the New York Jets, ending his season nearly before it got started.
Bosa is now reportedly training in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, per NFL insider Josina Anderson, and sounds not only optimistic about his return in 2021, but instead supremely confident in what's to come -- while intentionally veiling any details of his progression. In other words, Bosa wants everyone to watch what happens next, particularly having overcome a torn ACL previously in his football career (high school).
"You'll see my progress on the field next year. Tell them I'm gonna be better," he said.
That's exactly what the 49ers want to hear, considering how dominant he was prior to the injury. Bosa earned a Pro Bowl nod and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in his first year out of Ohio State, to go along with having been named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team and being named PFWA Rookie of the Year. That set the stage for what might've been a dominant NFL sophomore season, but it was not to be.
As he readies for 2021, he's looking to build upon a stellar rookie year that included 47 tackles, 25 quarterback hits, nine sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and an interception in 14 starts. A healthy Bosa will be paramount to the 49ers' ability to regain their defensive stride, and while he won't tip his hand as to where he is specifically in his recovery, he's pushing all of his chips to the middle of the table in how he's warning offenses of his return.
