The San Francisco 49ers dealt with injury issues that would have sent most teams spiraling in 2025.
Three of their 4 best players suffered season-ending injuries — all 3 NFL All-Pros — with inside linebacker Fred Warner (fractured ankle), tight end George Kittle (torn Achilles tendon), and edge rusher Nick Bosa (torn ACL) all going down, as well as quarterback Brock Purdy missing 8 games.
Still, somehow, the 49ers wound up in the playoffs — they even pulled off an upset win over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on the road in the NFC Wild Card round.
Now, in 2026, they’re all back — we think — and The Athletic’s Vic Tafur singled out Bosa as the player with the most on the line this season.
Not that it’ll be an easy road.
“Bosa is coming off his third knee surgery — and the second ACL injury to the same knee — and is being asked to carry the 49ers’ pass rush while mentoring young players Mykel Williams and Romello Height,” Tafur wrote. “It seems like the 49ers will still add a veteran edge player to help Bosa (after Bryce Huff suddenly retired). The return of Bosa, linebacker Fred Warner and tight end George Kittle from injuries is a big reason this team has Super Bowl aspirations. Bosa, who turns 29 in October, is also going to need a new contract after this season, as the five-year deal he signed in 2023 has a $54.9 million salary-cap hit in 2027. If Bosa can show that he is still one of the best speed-to-power rushers in the NFL, the 49ers will be in for a successful season and Bosa in for another huge payday.”
Nick Bosa’s Recovery Could Impact Entire Season
Bleacher Report’s “10 Key Injuries to Monitor” in 2026 put both Bosa and Kittle on its list.
B/R’s Brad Gagnon wrote the 2 injuries could “deeply impact how the upcoming season plays out” — and he couldn’t be more right.
“San Francisco really needs a healthy season — something it seemingly has never experienced in franchise history,” Gagnon wrote on July 1. “Kittle’s presence is critical for that offense, as he’s Brock Purdy‘s experienced and reliable safety valve … they’ll want to count on Bosa to play a major role as soon as possible. Keep in mind that this defense produced a league-low 20 sacks last season, and 2025 first-round edge Mykel Williams is also rehabbing a November ACL tear. ”
49ers Paying Massive Money for Superstar Duo
The 49ers are paying through the teeth for Kittle and Bosa in 2026.
Bosa signed a 5-year, $170 million contract extension right before the 2023 season and comes with a $22.9 million cap hit — a number that jumps up to that incredible $54.9 million number in 2027. That’s a lot of money to consider now that he’s suffered 2 season-ending ACL tears in his career — he only played 2 games in 2020 before suffering the same injury.
Bosa, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, was 1 of the NFL’s dominant pass rushers for just 2 seasons. In 2021 and 2022, he had 34.0 sacks and 40 TFL. He led the NFL with 21 TFL in 2021 and led the NFL with 18.5 sacks in 2022 on the way to being named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
In the years before and since, it’s been a study in diminishing returns. Bosa had just 10.5 sacks in 2023 and 9.0 sacks in 2024 in 14 games. Through 3 games before his injury in 2025, he had 2.0 sacks.
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