Throughout the offseason, Joey Bosa has been a name in the speculation mill when it comes to the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners have question marks at their pass rush position after the team tallied 20 total sacks last season.
Nonetheless, the return of Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams from injury should boost that number. Moreover, the team drafted Romello Height in Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft. As a result, the 49ers are hoping this is enough to improve their ability to get to the QB.
Despite those moves, there’s still speculation whether the Niners could eventually make a move for the older Bosa. However, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter noted that retirement could be an option for the former Los Angeles Chargers star if he doesn’t get the ideal situation.
“People have brought this up because Nick Bosa is out there, and it would always be fantastic to see Nick and Joey Bosa playing together,” Schefter said on the June 23 edition of “The Adam Schefter Podcast.” “But Joey Bosa is a free agent right now, and Joey Bosa has made so much money in his career that I think some people have wondered whether we will see him play in the NFL again.
“I think it is more likely than not, to use a phrase that shows up sometimes when we say that here and on other sites, that Joey Bosa has played his last NFL down. Now again, could a situation like the 49ers come along that entices him enough to come out and play again? Yeah.”
Joey Bosa Could Be Selective for His Next Team
Moreover, Schefter shared that if Bosa really wanted to suit up and play this season, he would’ve done so already. As a result, the insider can’t rule out that the veteran isn’t thinking about retiring.
“When a player is fully done and when he’s not done,“ Schefter added. “But the fact of the matter is, I think if the Niners wanted to pair those two together, it probably would have happened already. If Joey Bosa wanted to play football, it probably would have happened already.
“I think he’s perfectly content to sit on the sideline with all the money that he’s made, not have to go to training camp, not have to put himself into a situation that he doesn’t want to be in, and be highly selective in choosing an opportunity to play again. And that’s even if he does that, which I would guess there’s a real chance he doesn’t.”
49ers Insider Also Speculates on Joey Bosa’s Future
Schefter isn’t the only one wondering whether Bosa will retire. NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco also speculated recently whether the older Bosa wants to play in 2026.
“I still don’t think [the 49ers signing Bosa] is going to happen anytime soon,“ Maiocco said in a June 12 video on his YouTube channel. “In fact, I really don’t think it’s going to happen, period.
“Just the way Nick talked about Joey and how he’s more interested in concentrating on his golf game at this point than he is on playing football, it kind of leads me to believe that an NFL veteran who has made so much money playing this sport, if in late May or early June his mind is more on golf than football, there’s a really good chance that he ends up retiring.
“Of course, if a team comes along with a contract offer that blows the socks off, I’m sure he’ll play. But it certainly sounded to me as if there is a chance, a real chance, that Joey Bosa will retire.”
Despite the speculation on his future, the veteran pass rusher showed last season with the Buffalo Bills that he has plenty left in the tank. During the 2025 season, the former Bills pass rusher played 563 snaps, leading to a 79.3 overall PFF defensive grade.
He generated 47 total pressures as a pass rusher, including five sacks, 30 hurries, and 12 hits. Against the run, he recorded 22 solo tackles while forcing five fumbles on the season.
Insider Shares Big Update on Joey Bosa Amid 49ers Speculation