49ers Should Expect Nick Bosa's Knee Issue to Linger All Season

Expect the worst and hope for the best should be the approach.

Aug 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Nick Bosa (97) watches from the sidelines in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For yet another week, the 49ers didn't have Nick Bosa on hand at practice. His knee tendinitis/soreness from his reconstructed ACL is the root cause of his absence.

Before Monday, his continued absence was becoming alarming. However, Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have assured that they're now holding Bosa out as a precaution.

While it's fantastic to hear his absence isn't solely due to tendinitis/soreness, it's still a concern. In fact, the 49ers should expect Bosa's knee issues to linger all season long.

For starters, it's wiser to take on an "expect the worst and hope for the best" approach to this. That way, the 49ers have a plan for Bosa.

If they expect his knee to be an issue all year, it won't take them by surprise, and they can better prepare for it to keep him active this season.

The other reason they should expect it is that tendinitis comes and goes. It's like the tides on a beach. Except there's no telling when it will pop up.

It can occur after Week 1 if Bosa plays in that game, or after Week 6. Bosa's knee this season is essentially a random number generator. It's the ultimate variable.

Now, maybe there's a chance Bosa's knee is totally fine all season long. His issues in training camp were just a bump in the road that won't bother him again.

That could end up being the case, but the reason I'd be hesitant to believe in that scenario becoming reality is because of the graft Bosa chose to reconstruct his ACL with.

Since this is the second time Bosa has torn his ACL in his knee, he elected to take a sliver of his patellar tendon again. That's the common graft choice, especially for professional athletes.

However, since he's taken from his patellar tendon again, he's weakening his knee a bit. That is most likely where his tendinitis is stemming from, and I say this as someone who's experienced this.

Ultimately, it's more likely than not that Bosa will be dealing with tendinitis/soreness all season long. There's no real treatment plan to reduce the chances of it occurring.

Rest is the only way to calm down the swelling and stiffness. It should surprise no one if Bosa misses multiple games this season.

Rather, it should be expected. Just like how the 49ers should expect his knee to be an issue this year.

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