Steelers Opponents
Steelers May Avoid Nick Bosa in Week 1 Clash
49ers’ star edge rusher Nick Bosa is not at the 49ers’ facility on Wednesday during the team’s first meetings for their game against the Steelers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported.
“With the first practice of game week upon us, #49ers star Nick Bosa is not in the building for meetings with his teammates, sources say, as his holdout stretches into the regular season. His status for Week 1 is now in doubt as he seeks a blockbuster contract extension,” Rapoport tweeted.
Even still, the Steelers are preparing like the All-Pro will end up suiting on Sunday. Mike Tomlin has experience in this situation from the 49ers’ side regarding T.J. Watt’s contract in 2021. Watt went out three days after signing his deal and wrecked the Buffalo Bills’ offensive line. The Steelers know all to well that even if a deal gets done at the 11th hour, a player like Bosa can be dangerous, and so are preparing as if they’ll see him on the field at Acrisure Stadium in Week 1.
“Yes, we are preparing for Bosa,” Tomlin said. “It’s prudent for us to assume that he’s going to be there and prepare in that vein as opposed to being surprised. We were in a similar circumstance with a dynamic rusher a couple years ago in T.J. We got a deal done at the 11th hour. He showed up in the stadium and he was T.J. Watt that day. And so that’s what those guys do. They show up and they are who they are. And so we expect him to be there. It’s the prudent approach to take. And if he’s going to be there, we know the type of player that he intends on being. So that’s something to be dealt with.”
Bosa took Watt’s mantle as the best defensive player in the NFL in 2022. While the Steelers star was dealing with an injury, Bosa set a career-high with 18.5 sacks, which led the entire NFL. He also had 19 tackles for loss, 48 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, and 51 total tackles.
Nick Bosa was so good he finished sixth in MVP voting, being the NFL Defensive Player of the Year and earning All-Pro, All-NFL, and Pro Bowl nods.
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