Kyle Shanahan Provides An Injury Update On His DPOTY Candidate

Getty Nick Bosa celebrating a big play for the San Francisco 49ers.

With a crucial Week 14 contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scheduled for Sunday, Kyle Shanahan updated fans, pundits, and everyone in between on the San Francisco 49ers‘ overall status moving forward during his final media availability session of the week. For the most part, it was fairly routine for anyone who listens to the head coach half a dozen times per week; he verbally updated the injury report, answered questions largely about quarterbacks, and explained any surprising developments, like Nick Bosa‘s addition to the injury report.

When asked about Bosa specifically, who is currently listed as questionable with a hamstring for Sunday’s game according to Adam Schefter after earning DNPs for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday’s practices, Shanahan explained that the decision to sideline his star edge rusher was purely precautionary, comparing the situation to another star’s absence last week.

“Yes and [WR] Deebo [Samuel] did that last week for the most part, but it did stink that he couldn’t go today, but hopefully he’ll be good on Sunday,” Shanahan said, h/t 49ers WebZone.

After watching Samuel play 82 percent of the 49ers’ offensive snaps in Week 13, Bosa could end up playing a big role against Tampa Bay, it all depends on how his hamstring feels.

Nick Bosa’s Hamstring Tweak Came On Monday

Asked a follow-up question about when Bosa’s injury first came up, as he did have to leave Week 13 for a time before ultimately returning, Shanahan again compared Bosa’s situation to that of Samuel.

“Yeah, it was more on Monday. Sometimes those guys are going in the games and that does happen. It happened with Deebo too on the previous week, so it was bothering him on Monday and looked into it and it was legit.”

If Bosa is unable to play in Week 14, the team will likely have to turn to Charles Omenihu to earn the start opposite Samson Ebukam. A former fifth-round pick out of Texas who was acquired from the Houston Texans in November of 2021, Omenihu has started three games for the 49ers in 2022, including in two of the last four games, and ranks third on the team in defensive snaps from the defensive end position behind only Bosa and Ebukam.

The San Francisco 49ers Appreciate Nick Bosa’s Personality

While Bosa earns a ton of respect for his efforts in the ring, did you know he’s a bit of a character outside of it? It’s true, according to Shanahan, Bosa might just be the “funniest person” around, as he detailed to KNBR’s 680 “Tolbert & Copes” as per NBC Sports Bay Area.

“He is the funniest person in the world to me,” Shanahan said. “Like, he is so hilarious, and every word is he’s never rushed to finish a sentence, a thought. Every word is, like, selected and perfect, and it just is always the same.”

“And he’s such an animal in the field, but that’s how he always is. It does not change, and it’s very entertaining to me, but it’s also what he says is smart. It’s always usually right. But he doesn’t mince words either. He’s a man of few words, and that’s why people like listening to him too.”

After being a bit of an enigma through the first four years of his professional career, fans will surely appreciate learning that Bosa is as interesting off the field as he is prolific on it.