49ers’ defensive star limps off field, doesn’t return in loss to Seahawks

The San Francisco 49ers did a great job of limiting the Seattle Seahawks’ offense early in their Week 11 matchup.

However, once San Francisco’s star edge rusher Nick Bosa got hurt in the second half, things got a lot harder for the 49ers.

Bosa aggravated a hip injury, which he had been dealing entering Week 11. The 49ers deemed him ‘questionable’ to return, but he didn’t make it back into the game, which San Francisco ultimately lost 20-17.

Here’s what to know about Bosa’s injury and how it impacted the 49ers in their loss to the Seahawks:

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Nick Bosa injury update

Bosa suffered a hip injury in the third quarter of the 49ers’ loss to the Seahawks. It appeared to occur after he sacked Geno Smith on Seattle’s first drive of the third quarter.

Bosa brought Smith to the ground but came up lame. He limped off the field after the injury and remained on the sideline after it. He was seen stretching his left hip out with the training staff, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, and was ‘clearly in pain’ while partaking in the activities.

The 49ers later announced that Bosa was ‘questionable’ to return to the game because of the hip injury. He did not return, and the Seahawks scored both of their touchdowns after Bosa exited the game.

Curiously, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that Bosa’s injury wasn’t an aggravation of the prevoius hip injury. Instead, Shanahan claimed that the veteran edge rusher was dealing with a new oblique injury.

‘I think it was a different one,’ he said when asked if Bosa’s injury was the same hip malady he was nursing.

Shanahan also admitted that the defense missed Bosa after he left the game, though he wouldn’t say that the edge rusher’s absence helped spark the Seahawks’ game-winning drive.

‘I thought we had a couple of opportunities to get to [Smith],’ Shanahan said of San Francisco’s final defensive drive. ‘I think we did get a sack or two on that last drive, but him getting those two scrambles killed us.’

The 49ers dropped to 5-5 as a result of the loss. That dropped them to last place in the crowded NFC West, as San Francisco has just a 1-3 record in divisional play.

Who is Nick Bosa’s backup on 49ers depth chart?

Below is a full look at the team’s defensive end depth chart, which could prove critical if Bosa misses time because of his injuries:

Nick Bosa
Leonard Floyd
Yetur Gross-Matos
Sam Okuayinonu
Robert Beal Jr.

Nick Bosa stats

Bosa had four tackles and 1.5 sacks against the Seahawks before exiting with an injury. On the season, Bosa has 36 tackles and seven sacks in 10 games. He also has an interception and a forced fumble as well.

Bosa’s seven sacks are easily the most on the 49ers. Floyd (4.5) and Maliek Collins (4) rank second and third respectively.