SANTA CLARA — San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is set to play in the season opener after recovering from a torn ACL, as confirmed by Raheem Morris. Bosa tore his ACL in a Sept. 21 game against the Arizona Cardinals and underwent surgery on Sept. 26.
The timeline places the injury late last September, with surgery following five days later. Morris's confirmation signals Bosa has cleared the necessary medical steps to return for Week 1. The 49ers have not disclosed additional details on his practice workload or snap expectations for the opener.
Bosa's availability carries weight for San Francisco's defensive front, where his edge presence shapes pass rush and run defense. Returning a former Defensive Player of the Year type edge rusher changes how opponents protect the quarterback and allocate blocking resources, even on a limited early-season pitch count.
San Francisco will continue to monitor his conditioning and contact progression leading into the opener. With the regular season approaching, the focus shifts to managing reps in practice and aligning the defensive rotation to support his return without adding further risk.