The 2026 NFL season is just around the corner, with a highly anticipated matchup on the horizon as the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams prepare to face off in the first international game of the season. Nick Bosa’s injury concerns had raised serious questions about his availability for the game; however, Raheem Morris confirmed that Bosa will take the field alongside his teammates.
“Oh, he’s going out there. Whatever you want to say, he’s going. He’ll be there. We’re not hiding that,” the defensive coordinator said, via Harrison Rich of the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Bay Area team’s season opener will be anything but easy. Not only will they face one of the teams that has made the strongest additions this offseason, but unfortunately, they also enter the matchup without their best physical condition at several key positions on the roster.
Bosa is a cornerstone of San Francisco’s defense, and it will be crucial for him to maintain the elite level of play that has established him as one of the league’s top defenders. Will he be able to make an impact from the very first snap when the ball gets rolling in Melbourne?
Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates a sack against the New Orleans Saints.
What injury has been plaguing Bosa?
It was a huge blow for the 49ers back in Week 3 of the 2025 season, when Nick Bosa tore the ACL in his right knee during a matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. He planted his foot awkwardly while rushing the passer in the middle of a play, immediately going down in obvious pain and needing help to leave the field.
An MRI confirmed the dreaded season-ending diagnosis the next day, forcing San Francisco’s star edge rusher into surgery and a long rehab process that kept him sidelined for the rest of the year. During his recovery, he developed patellar tendinitis (pain and swelling in the tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone) in that same knee.
Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers runs onto the field.
49ers begin their 2026 season journey
Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers kick off their 2026 NFL regular season on Thursday, September 10, in a historic matchup against their division rivals, the Rams. It’s an international showdown hosted at the massive Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia. Prime-time kickoff for US fans is set for 8:35 PM ET.
