49ers Star Nick Bosa Had Thoughts of 'Quitting' After ACL Tear

Nick Bosa was never going to quit football after tearing his ACL again, but it did cross his mind.

Jul 23, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa answers questions from reporters following the first day of training camp at SAP Performance Facility. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Losing Nick Bosa to a torn ACL for the 2025 season was a brutal loss for the San Francisco 49ers.

Their defense desperately missed his impact and presence. But what was even more brutal was the fact that Bosa tore an ACL for the third time and twice in the same knee.

He's had more ACL tears than first-team All-Pro selections since being drafted. It's insane and unfortunate to fathom for a player of his elite caliber.

And even though he's experiencing it for a third time, it doesn't make it easier. The injury devastated him so much that he initially had the thought of quitting football.

Bosa shares the mental hurdles of tearing his ACL

Aug 23, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) walks of the field after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

"It was rough early on. You just want to be able to play, especially how good things were going for the defense and me personally; I felt that I was at a pretty high level to start the year," Bosa said during Week 1 of OTAs. "You start out wanting to quit and never play again and never put your body in that position again. And then slowly you realize that you love this game and you want to get back to it."

You can't blame Bosa for feeling this way, especially with the context he gave. He did start the 2025 season on a perfect level. It looked like he'd be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

The 49ers were winning games too, and close ones at that. It makes it feel even sweeter. Bosa had to have been feeling at an all-time high, especially after the lame duck 2024 season.

Once he tears his ACL in Week 3, he must've felt like someone pulled a lever on a trap door he was standing on, causing him to go from highly positive to negative.

Plenty of athletes have discussed how low they get after sustaining a significant injury, like a torn ACL. They tend to wonder if they will ever be the same again.

Fortunately, Bosa didn't wallow in those negative thoughts and emotions for too long. In fact, he wasn't concerned about returning to the high-level form he left off.

"I've never doubted that I could get back to where I am," said Bosa. "It's a good thing that I play today and not back when my dad did, because I probably wouldn't be playing anymore. Luckily, they fix you up pretty good, and I'm feeling really good. My mind's also better. I've had a lot of time to work on that and kind of enjoy some time off."

Bosa should be ready by Week 1 of the regular season, and I'd imagine the start of training camp as well. His return will be a joyous occasion for both him and the 49ers.

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