MELBOURNE, Australia – San Francisco defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said defensive end Nick Bosa will play in the 49ers’ season opener against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday.
“Nick Bosa (is going to play),” Morris said Tuesday in Australia (late Monday in the US). “It’s going to be there, we’re not going to hide that.”
George Kittle, who is recovering from an Achilles tendon sprain suffered in January, looks set to play Thursday, though his workload has yet to be determined.
“We’ll have to see how he does the rest of the week — we’ve got two more practices — but Kittle looks good,” offensive coordinator Clay Kubiak said. Considering his injury, he was impressed with how quickly he returned to the field.
Both were watching the 49ers play, including being on a 16-hour flight from San Francisco. Morris’ comments were the most accurate indication that Bosa will return to action for the first time since tearing his ACL in Week 3 of last season, although he has missed all but a handful of practices this winter due to tendinitis in his surgically repaired right knee.
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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 come back… The workouts every day are lonely. But why do it when you’re with the guys and you feel like you’re part of a brotherhood.”
Last year, Bosa’s injuries led to his third ACL surgery and the second on his right knee, dating back to high school. It won’t be the first (or second) time he’s played in the season opener, though he’s been limited before the game. He did this in 2010. Due to injury as a starter in 2019 and a contract dispute in 2023.
49ers general manager John Lynch said last week: “Nick has been blessed with amazing genes and he’s been doing well. He got sick while he was improving, so he backed off, and we’ve put together a really good plan that we believe will get him ready for Australia.”
Morris had some concerns about another defensive end, rookie third-round pick Romilo Height, who has missed some recent practices with an ankle injury and is too new to the NFL.
The veteran didn’t have the same concerns about Bosa given his experience in similar situations.
“Bosa knows his body as well as anybody. He’s going to be as ready and prepared as anybody,” Morris said. “(I have a) very high level of confidence in where he’s going to be.”
Even with Bosa playing, the 49ers are thin on defense. In addition to Hyatt’s injury, Sam Okuayinonu, who started 12 games last week, could miss all of 2026 after breaking his leg in practice last week. Michael Williams won’t play until Oct. 12 against the Seattle Seahawks after starting the season on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from a torn ACL.
For depth, the 49ers signed Khalid Kareem off the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad. A storm ride for the edge of protection To San Francisco physical and then to Australia to join the team in Melbourne.
