For the most part, it's been so far, so good for the San Francisco 49ers this season. Led by MVP candidate Brock Purdy, the undefeated 49ers have looked like a well-oiled machine that is finally ready to get over the Super Bowl hump that has haunted them during the Kyle Shanahan era. However, it wouldn't be a Shanahan 49ers team if they didn't have to deal with untimely injuries to major players.
Take star pass-rusher Nick Bosa, for example.
After missing a Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals with a nagging calf injury, Bosa is also being held out of the 49ers' big matchup with the AFC heavyweight Denver Broncos this Sunday. The 49ers could survive more easily without Bosa against the rebuilding Cardinals. Doing so against the Broncos will undoubtedly
be a much harder ask:
Here's the final injury report for #DENvsSF. The #49ers will be missing some key players, including Nick Bosa, while the #Broncos will only be without Dondrea Tillman. pic.twitter.com/eHvyjtaekx
— Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen) October 2, 2026
It's been a challenging year for Bosa up to this point. The veteran defender only appeared in three games last season after tearing his ACL. With just two games under his belt in 2026, it's apparent that he's still contending with some nagging injury issues before he can be the dominant force we've all come to expect. The 49ers will certainly need that version of him if this iteration of the team expects to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February.
Who is Nick Bosa's backup on the 49ers?
Okbo Okoronkwo is listed as Bosa's backup on the 49ers' official depth chart. Okoronkwo is a long-time NFL veteran after being drafted in 2018. This is his first season with San Francisco.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: When is Nick Bosa coming back to the 49ers?
