Why isn’t Nick Bosa playing for the 49ers against the Rams on Thursday Night Football?
After suffering a serious injury in Week 3, San Francisco star Nick Bosa will be on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.
Star defensive end Nick Bosa will remain unavailable to the San Francisco 49ers for a significant period of time, as the five-time Pro Bowler recovers from a season-ending injury.
What injury does Nick Bosa have?
Bosa suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee on September 21, in San Francisco’s 16-15 Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
It is the second time that the 27-year-old has been hit by an ACL tear. The injury caused the former Ohio State star to miss almost all of the 2020 campaign, after he was forced out of a Week 2 clash with the New York Jets.
Speaking as he confirmed Bosa’s ACL injury early last week, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the gravity of losing the services of the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year. “You don’t just replace a guy like Nick,” Shanahan said. “Everyone has to get better.”
The 49ers announced on September 25 that they had placed Bosa on the injured reserve (IR) list.
The San Francisco 49ers today announced they have activated WR Demarcus Robinson from the Reserve/Suspended List and placed DL Nick Bosa on the Injured Reserve List.
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 25, 2025
49ers beaten after Bosa blow
Before his ACL injury, Bosa had enjoyed a strong opening to the 2025 season, recording 17 total tackles along with two sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in his three appearances.
In Bosa’s absence, the 49ers saw their perfect start to the campaign come to an end in Week 4, as San Francisco slipped to 3-1 courtesy of a 26-21 home defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 49ers will now attempt to return to winning ways with a Week 5 trip to Los Angeles, where they face a Thursday Night Football matchup with division rivals the Rams.
In addition to Bosa’s absence, Shanahan is dealing with injuries to other important players, including quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Like San Francisco, Los Angeles is 3-1 after four games; however, Sean McVay’s team heads into Week 5 on the back of victory. On Sunday, the Rams secured an unexpected comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts, triumphing 27-20 at SoFi Stadium.
49ers vs Rams: when, where, how to watch
The 49ers visit the Rams in Week 5 today, Thursday October 2, with kick-off at SoFi Stadium scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET/5:15 p.m. PT. The game will air on Amazon Prime Video.
You can follow live-text coverage of San Francisco vs Los Angeles right here at AS USA.
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