San Francisco 49ers star edge rusher Nick Bosa suffered a season-ending torn ACL early last season and has been working his way back as he gears up for the 2026 campaign. He participated at the start of 49ers training camp, avoiding a stint on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, but was later sidelined with minor knee soreness.
Now, head coach Kyle Shanahan has revealed that Bosa is considered week-to-week with tendinitis in his right knee — the same knee in which he tore his ACL. Shanahan called it “a pretty normal thing with ACLs” and said there are “no concerns” about the injury. Still, it’s not exactly the update fans were hoping for at this stage of his recovery.
Bosa tore his ACL just three games into the 2025 season and was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Sept. 25 — meaning it’s now been nearly 11 months since the injury. That timeline isn’t entirely irregular, but several other players who suffered the same injury after Bosa have already returned to full practice participation and appear on track for Week 1, including Patrick Mahomes, Tucker Kraft, and Malik Nabers.
There’s still a chance Bosa is ready for Week 1, especially given Shanahan’s lack of concern over the tendinitis. But this isn’t Bosa’s first torn ACL. He first tore his right ACL in high school — an injury reportedly still connected to the tendinitis he’s dealing with now — before tearing his left ACL early in the 2020 season, and then suffering last year’s tear.
Given the circumstances, it’s understandable that the 49ers are being cautious with Bosa. He’s one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL and is now coming off the third torn ACL of his career, making this a key storyline to watch over the coming weeks.