49ers star Nick Bosa and Washington Football Team pass-rusher Chase Young have more in common than their alma mater - both suffered devastating injuries in their second NFL season.
Bosa, who has come back from two separate ACL injuries, reached out to Young after the pass rusher suffered the season-ending injury on Sunday.
“I called him,” Bosa said on Friday. “I obviously didn’t have a game that day, so I called him while he was still in the locker room. He will obviously be going through something similar so we’ll be in touch.”
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Many 49ers players who have spent time off the field due to injury have shared how challenging it can be mentally. Instead of constantly being around teammates, at times they felt isolated going through months of individual rehabilitation and training.
“I kind of just talked to him once on FaceTime right after it happened,” Bosa said. “I just told him he’s going to be fine. It’s going to be a long process and it can be lonely sometimes. But he’s 21, he’ll be fine, 22 maybe.
Bosa also knows how challenging ACL recovery can be in and of itself and will be a supportive resource for Young. The 49ers' Pro Bowl pass rusher has been able to return to the field without issue, immediately reclaiming his role as one of the most productive defenders on the team.
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Bosa started the season playing a high percentage of snaps after taking slow steps back throughout OTAs and training camp. Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans believes Bosa’s immediate impact was rare after going through an ACL injury.
“It was very surprising,” Ryans said. “Not many guys can come back and just hop in like Bosa has done. Many guys you have to take your time and ease them into games and keep them on a rep count.
“When you look at our first game, he got way more reps than we thought he should get, but he was fine and he hasn’t missed a beat from there. It’s a testament to just how hard Bosa works when he’s here, when he’s not here, he’s always working on his body. And he’s a true pro.”
Bosa believes his fellow Buckeye will have a similar recovery and post-injury success and the 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year will impart any knowledge needed. 14 months after his own injury, Bosa was finally seen on the field without the lightweight sleeve on his knee, which might be the final step in his recovery.
“Yeah, just dropped it last week and it feels fine,” Bosa said. “I’m happy to not have to wear that thing anymore.”