49ers Nick Bosa reflects on sideline injury: ‘That was kind of a sign of a rough day’

Not much went right for the San Francisco 49ers and defensive end Nick Bosa Sunday.

His team lost starting quarterback Brock Purdy on the first series of the NFC Championship game to an elbow injury. Then, the 49ers got dominated by the Philadelphia Eagles, 31-7, to end their 2023 campaign.

On an individual level, Bosa had a rough day even when he was off the field. The Ohio State alum suffered an injury to his calf when an Eagles’ gunner sweep Bosa’s legs out from under him on the sideline. The pass rusher immediately grabbed his right calf in agony, having to play through the pain for the rest of the day.

Falling behind on the scoreboard and losing your starting QB is part of it, but getting hurt on the sideline usually means things aren’t going your way in the NFL.

Footage believed to show what caused the Nick Bosa injury 😳

(via @NFLonFOX)pic.twitter.com/buCeej7P1b

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 29, 2023

“That was the sign of a rough day, when you get hurt on the sideline,” Nick Bosa said postgame Sunday.

Bosa revealed the extent of the injury, getting cleated by the Eagles’ punt-return specialist bad enough to get it treated by the medical staff. The defensive end didn’t miss any time Sunday, but was seen favoring his right leg considerably.

“I got a cleat an inch or two into my leg,” Bosa explained. “I was fighting through it, but I don’t think it affected me that much.”

Nick Bosa took a cleat to the side of his leg during a punt return. (He was standing on the sideline). “It was kind of a sign it would be a rough day,” he said. pic.twitter.com/wjunFmd0fk

— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) January 30, 2023

Bad luck and injuries aside, the general consensus around the San Francisco locker room was that today wasn’t their day.

A team that hadn’t lost since October was bound to lose a game eventually, just not  in the manner that it happened. After such a promising season, it ends predictably, as it has in recent years for The Faithful: In heartbreak.

“We lost. It’s crazy when you win for so long you forget how losing feels. Today, a lot of things didn’t go our way. Self-inflicted wounds on defense all the way through. However you want to draw it up, it just wasn’t our day,” linebacker Fred Warner stated.

The 49ers now enter an offseason full of questions, with one of those being DeMeco Ryans.

The defensive coordinator for the 49ers looks set to be named the next head coach of the Houston Texans in the coming days. A coveted candidate, Ryans has produced the No. 1 defense in the NFL this season, first in both yards and points allowed.

After Sunday’s loss, Warner had a moment to reflect on what was next, including the fact that this may be the final time Ryans is on the same sideline.

“I hadn’t thought about it up to this point because, obviously, you think you’re going to win it all,” Warner said. “But seeing him was emotional. It was. It was the first time it kind of hit me that this was the last one with him.”

Fred Warner says it was emotional seeing DeMeco Ryans after the game pic.twitter.com/nv6N4YpY8p

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) January 30, 2023

Despite likely losing a mentor, Warner is appreciative of his time with the former linebacker, crediting him for his growth over the years.

“We came into this thing together,” Warner said Sunday. “I owe everything to him. He’s the reason I’m the player I am today. “He’s fully deserving to go on and be a head coach. It hit hard today, for sure.”

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