The San Francisco 49ers are less than one week out from their season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, and while defensive star Nick Bosa is expected to play, his road back from an ACL tear hit an unexpected “hiccup” with a battle against tendonitis. General Manager John Lynch openly stated that the team “didn’t foresee that with Nick,” adding a layer of concern despite the expectation for him to be on the field. The team’s already in Australia, adjusting to that major time change before game day, making Bosa’s full participation a massive relief.
Bosa’s “Long Road” to Full Practice
This summer has been a grind for Bosa. After the ACL tear, he then dealt with tendonitis that surprisingly popped up, raising some real red flags. He finally practiced in full for the first time this offseason earlier this week, a huge step toward being ready for the Rams. Bosa himself acknowledged the difficulties, saying, “It was a long road. There’s some stuff I dealt with, with that patellar tendon, and then I kind of ramped it a little too fast with the football stuff a month ago or whatever it was. And that kind of told me to back off.” That push and pull to get back on the field, balancing recovery with wanting to go full throttle, is tough for any player. But he sounded confident after his full practice, noting that “Once you get into team, there’s no reservations, there’s no compensation… there’s no governor. I felt that today.” That’s the kind of confidence you need heading into a season opener.
Lynch Calls Tendonitis a “Hiccup” as Kittle Also Tracks Well
Lynch’s comments on The TK Show reveal just how much of an unexpected curveball Bosa’s tendonitis was. While he called it a “hiccup” and “kind of the norm” for some guys recovering from ACLs, he stressed, “We didn’t foresee that with Nick.” It seems Bosa’s genetic blessings in past ACL recoveries made this particular setback a surprise. Still, Lynch and the team “feel very good about where they’re at” with both Bosa and George Kittle. Kittle’s rehab has been “outstanding,” with his big practice day happening yesterday, performing “very well.” Both are making the trip to Australia and are expected to play, a huge boost considering the team just placed Sam Okuayinonu on Injured Reserve, adding to their pre-season injury woes.
So, the stage is set. Less than a week separates the 49ers from their Week 1 clash against the Rams in Australia. Seeing Bosa and Kittle back in action, even if their recovery wasn’t “ideal,” will be what everyone is watching for. Can Bosa continue to build on that “great day” in practice and bring the heat without any reservations? It’s going to be wild to see these guys unleashed.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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