San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris confirmed that Nick Bosa will play in the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. Meanwhile, tight end George Kittle is also trending toward playing despite recovering from a torn Achilles.
Nick Bosa Confirmed to Play Season Opener Against Rams
The San Francisco 49ers arrived in Melbourne, Australia, facing major injury questions regarding two of their biggest stars heading into Week 1. Any lingering doubts about defensive end Nick Bosa’s availability were firmly put to rest by the coaching staff.
Nick Bosa will make his 2026 NFL season debut on Friday morning — Thursday night in America — during the 49ers’ Week 1 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. On Tuesday in Australia, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris spoke to local media and confirmed the All-Pro will be suited up. Nick Bosa, he’s going out there,
Morris said. Whatever you want to say, he’s going. He will be there. We’re not hiding that.
Bosa is working his way back from an ACL injury sustained in Week 3 of the 2025 season. Bosa missed 14 games last season after tearing his ACL during a Week 3 win over the Cardinals, and the five-time Pro Bowl selection had been limited in training camp and the preseason due to knee tendinitis. Bosa, however, returned to practice fully on Sept. 2 for the first time since his injury. After not practicing in the team’s Monday session, Bosa returned to the field for their lengthier padded practice on Tuesday.
Nick’s a pro in everything he does, the ultimate pro,
Morris said. “I definitely anticipate that because of who he is, and what he’s done, and how he’s gone about his process to get ready for this. You watch this guy do it over a span, a long time in his career, been able do it at different levels. Bosa knows his body as well as anybody. He will be prepared and ready to go as well as anybody. Very high confidence level in where he is going to be.”
Last Wednesday, the eight-year veteran said he was confident he would be ready to face the Rams. We’re taking it one day at a time, but today was a great day,
Bosa said. “You put in so much work, and you think you’re coming back … and then you’re not … and then you’re back. … The workouts every day are just monotonous. But you realize why you do it when you’re around the guys, and you truly feel like you’re part of the brotherhood.” Bosa’s injury last year resulted in his third ACL surgery and the second on his right knee, dating to high school. This would not be the first (or second) time he has played in a season opener despite being limited in the run-up to the game. He did so because of injuries as a rookie in 2019 and a contract dispute in 2023.
Nick’s pretty blessed with tremendous genes and was going along great,
49ers general manager John Lynch said last week. When he upped the activity, he got sore, so he backed off, and we put together a really good plan that we believe will have him ready for Australia.
George Kittle Nears Return From Achilles Injury
While Bosa’s status is cemented, star tight end George Kittle is also trending in the right direction for Thursday night’s matchup against the Rams. The All-Pro tight end has been recovering from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in January. Bosa and tight end George Kittle (torn Achilles) made last week’s flight to Australia with their teammates, which was considered a key step in their bid to play Week 1.
Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak told local media that the coaching staff has been super impressed with how he has looked since being cleared to take part in on-field drills a few weeks ago. He’s looked good,
Kubiak said. “Super impressed with how he has looked considering the injury he had, and how quickly he got back on the field and committed to his rehab. It’s been pretty cool to see Kittle out there looking like himself to me. Looking fresh, and how that affects him on game day, and how much his workload is to be determined, but he looked good to me, he’s practicing full speed, he’s getting a ton of reps, so I feel like he’s in good shape.”
Then when asked directly if Kittle would be on the field to start the season opener, Kubiak backed down slightly, adding that the next two practices would influence any decision about the Iowa product’s participation. We will see how he gets through the rest of the week,
Kubiak said. We have two more practices, but Kittle looks good.
Roster Shuffling and Depth Concerns on the Defensive Line
Even with Bosa locking down his usual spot, the 49ers enter the opening contest facing other roster considerations. Morris had some trepidation about another defensive end, rookie third-rounder Romello Height, because he has missed some recent practices with an ankle injury and is so new to the NFL. He didn’t have the same concerns about Bosa, given the veteran’s experience in similar situations.
