San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa told reporters that he has not yet received any disciplinary action from the NFL for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat during a Week 8 post-game segment. Bosa said that if he had to pay a fine, it would be “worth it.”

“I don’t know,” Bosa told reporters when asked about a potential punishment. “I haven’t gotten one yet, but if it comes, it comes.” 

The 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year appeared on screen wearing the white and yellow hat for a brief moment as NBC was wrapping up its Sunday Night Football coverage. 49ers players Brock Purdy and Isaac Guerendo were being interviewed when Bosa appeared behind them and pointed to the front of the hat before ducking away.

The NFL is reportedly reviewing the incident for a potential rules violation but has not taken any action at this time. Bosa could technically be punished for making a political statement as a private employee, but precedents set during the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement may protect him. At the time, the typically non-partisan league approved several forms of protest related to the movement, paving the way for players to more openly make statements related to politics and social justice on the field. Many argue that players like Colin Kaepernick were indirectly punished for participating, however.

Another violation of the rules Bosa could have made could be related to wearing unlicensed apparel on the field. Because the hat endorsing Trump wasn’t licensed by the NFL, there’s a chance that Bosa could face a minor fine for wearing the hat and displaying it on television. This would obviously obfuscate the primary motive behind Bosa’s actions, but it would also be necessary if the league decided that wearing the hat was not permitted by those licensing agreements.

Bosa has been evasive in discussing his politics further in several interviews but confirmed that he followed along with coverage of the 2024 presidential election and enjoyed watching. He has unabashedly stood by his informal endorsement.

The Nick Bosa holdout is finally over. The San Francisco 49ers agreed to a five-year, $170 million extension Wednesday with the defensive star, making him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL by a wide margin. $122.5 million will be guaranteed.

With a new deal finally in place, Bosa will return to practice with the team this week. He sat out training camp and the entire preseason, however, putting his status for Week 1 in question. Earlier in the summer, head coach Kyle Shanahan said that it would not take long for Bosa to prepare for the season ahead.

“I don’t know if Bosa has ever done a training camp, and he has done pretty good,” Shanahan said last month. “It’s a little different when you’re a defensive lineman. Everybody wants people here, and you want to do that stuff, but it doesn’t affect the team as much from a defensive end standpoint. I have as much confidence in Nick as any player I’ve ever been around in terms of how he prepares and everything. I know they’re going to get it right, both sides, and I’m excited for when I do see him.”

It appears that Shanahan’s words rang true for Bosa at least, as the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year will now make $34 million on average for the next five seasons, far outpacing any defender in the NFL. It could create a problem going forward for the 49ers organization, however.

Though the team will be spared from salary cap issues for now, 2024 could be challenging, as San Francisco must honor a number of high-market contracts for star players like Deebo Samuel, Trent Williams, Arik Armstead and Christian McCaffrey. For now, front office executives have a little wiggle room that they can expand by restructuring existing contracts.

With Bosa back on the roster, the 49ers are now fully prepared for another deep run in the postseason, one season after the team went to the NFC Championship. With quarterback Brock Purdy healthy again, the team has retained all of its major pieces and figures as a very important contender on the West Coast.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that he is now considering the possibility of defensive star Nick Bosa missing games at the beginning of the 2023 NFL season. Shanahan has been nonchalant as Bosa’s contract dispute dragged on throughout the preseason, but it has not yet been resolved with one week remaining until Week 1.

“I thought it would come probably at this time just looking at the history of those things,” Shanahan said, according to the team transcript. “I’m really hoping it gets done. I know they’re working tirelessly at it. [General manager] John [Lynch], [VP of football administrations [Brian] Hamp [Hampton], [president] Paraag [Marathe]. I know their team is. But hopefully, we can get him in here sooner than later.”

49ers management reiterated that it does not plan to trade Bosa, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year and currently the 117th highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. In 2020, Bosa’s brother, fellow star defender Joey Bosa, signed a five-year, $135 million extension with the Chargers. San Francisco’s Bosa, making $17.8 million in the final year of his contract, is likely seeking an even bigger extension.

While Bosa and his agents continue negotiations with the 49ers, Shanahan told reporters that the team would struggle without one of the league’s best defensive ends.

“Yeah, I can imagine anything. Doesn’t mean I like that picture,” Shanahan said of Bosa’s potential absence. “Of course not. You guys know how we feel about Nick, and we all know how good of a player he is. So hopefully we can come to terms soon and get him here as fast as possible.”

In the 2022 season, the 49ers were one of the most well-built teams in football, boasting elite players on both sides of the ball. The defense remained stout throughout the playoffs, and if not for an injury at quarterback in the NFC Championship, it’s possible that the team could have reached the Super Bowl. Retaining Bosa could prove integral to the team’s hopes of returning to that position in the coming season.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Monday that he was unconcerned about star defensive lineman Nick Bosa’s physical condition. Bosa has missed training camp and the early preseason as he continues negotiations for a contract extension.

“No, not at all,” Shanahan said after being asked if he was concerned about the holdout. “Because I don’t know if Bosa has ever done a training camp, and he has done pretty good. It’s a little different when you’re a defensive lineman. Everybody wants people here, and you want to do that stuff, but it doesn’t affect the team as much from a defensive end standpoint. I have as much confidence in Nick as any player I’ve ever been around in terms of how he prepares and everything. I know they’re going to get it right, both sides, and I’m excited for when I do see him.”

Shanahan’s confidence in Bosa is based on his status as one of the NFL’s elite defenders. Since his debut in 2019, the 49ers star has racked up 43 sacks and 153 combined tackles despite missing nearly the entire 2020 season with an injury. He has appeared in the Pro Bowl in all three of his full seasons. But this success is also the reason for his prolonger contract negotiation.

Under his current four-year, $33 million deal with a fifth-year option, Bosa is currently the 38th highest paid defensive lineman in the league. He has proven to be far more valuable than his original deal and is expected to agree to a lucrative extension before the season begins.

With Shanahan at the helm last season, the 49ers were one of the most efficient teams in football. The offense featured stars Deebo Samuel and George Kittle and only grew stronger when running back Christian McCaffrey joined ahead of the trade deadline. Even after losing two starting quarterbacks throughout the season, the team made it all the way to the NFC Championship, when third-string quarterback Brock Purdy also succumbed to injury. The team was similarly potent on the other side, with Bosa leading a fierce defense which allowed the fourth least points per game in the league.

The conference championships have arrived and the NFL is ready to see what will be two highly anticipated games. Veteran quarterbacks take on rookies as established franchises seek to hold firm against rising ones. The AFC and NFC Championship games are set to kickoff tomorrow.

AFC: Tennessee Titans (9-7) @ Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)

Tennessee heads to Kansas City after coming off two giant wins against the number one defense of the New England Patriots in the Wild Card round and the number one offense of the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional round. The Titans have won seven of their last nine games.

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The Titans offense, led by quarterback Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry, have proven to be a powerhouse, especially in the playoffs thus far. The defense will find difficulty in stopping Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but does carry a lot of momentum into Kansas City after their two previous games.

Mahomes will take key lessons learned from last year’s AFC Championship loss and apply them here in hopes of avenging that loss to the New England Patriots.

“Last year they caught us a little off guard with the coverages they played at the beginning of the game,” Mahomes said. “We made adjustments and were able to score points later in the game, but you want to make sure that you’re just preparing for everything. You know that [the Titans have] a good defense. They do a lot of different things, play a lot of man, play a lot of zone and so you know they’re going to throw different coverages out there against you.”

Kansas City is favored to win. Line, Over/Under: KC -7, 53

Date/Time: Sun, Jan 19/ 3:05 p.m. ET

Channel: CBS

NFC: Green Bay Packers (13-3) @ San Francisco 49ers (13-3)

The Packers enter hostile territory in what is set to be a great NFC Championship game. This is the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams and just the second NFC Championship Game.

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Green Bay will look to quarterback Aaron Rodgers to step up and land some key shots against a mighty 49ers defense. He has famously avoided throwing in Richard Sherman‘s direction, so that matchup between Davante Adams and any other 49ers cornerback will be key.

The Packers offensive line has proved to be one of the best in the NFL and will have to hold Nick Bosa, the favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year, at bay.

San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will look to George Kittle early and often, as Kittle has proved his worth and been a dominate force for the 49ers offense.

In response to his ups and downs throughout the season thus far, Garoppolo said, “That’s just part of being a quarterback. In football, bad things are going to happen at some point. No one’s ever going to play a perfect game, so it’s just how you react to those things.”

San Francisco is favored to win. Line, Over/Under: SF -7.5, 46.5

Date/Time: Sun, Jan 19/ 6:40 p.m. ET

Channel: FOX

Tickets are on sale now for the NFC Championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and the visiting Green Bay Packers. The game is set for this Sunday, January 19, at 6:40 pm ET on FOX.

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The 49ers are coming off a dominant 27-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional Round game this past Sunday. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for just 131 yards with one touchdown and an interception, but the running game worked well for the Niners. Tevin Coleman lead the way with 12 rushes for 105 yards and two touchdowns while Raheem Mostert carried the ball 12 times for 58 yards. Both players averaged 4.8 yards per carry.

On the defensive side of the ball, Nick Bosa made Kirk Cousins uncomfortable all game and finished with two sacks. In the regular season the Niners gave up only 281 yards of total offense per game, good enough for second best in the league. Against Minnesota they only gave up just 147 yards of offense. Look for them to pressure Rodgers with different blitz packages.

The Packers are coming off a hard fought battle at Lambeau Field as they defeated the Seahawks 28-23. Davante Adams lead the way for Green Bay with eight receptions for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Aaron Jones only averaged three yards per carry, but was able to get into the endzone twice.

One of the biggest storylines will be Garoppolo vs Rodgers, the up and coming quarterback opposite a Super Bowl Champion with eight Pro Bowl appearances. Garoppolo is coming off his first full season with the Niners compiling 3,978 yards with 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Meanwhile, Rodgers is in his 15th year with Green Bay and is coming off a very efficient season throwing for 4,002 yards with 26 touchdowns and only four interceptions. But does he have enough left in the tank to grant his a team a second Super Bowl appearance? Tune in this Sunday to find out.

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These are the betting odds/statistics, according to CBS Sports:

• Packers vs 49ers spread: San Francisco -7.5
• Packers vs 49ers over-under: 45 points
• Packers vs 49ers money line: San Francisco -350, Green Bay +275
• GB: Packers have covered five of six games as a playoff underdog.
• SF: 49ers are 5-2 against the spread in the last seven meetings in this series.

Ravens Tight End Mark Andrews was seen using the “planting the flag” celebration to mock San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa after a 20-yard touchdown reception in Sunday’s 20-17 win in Baltimore. After running into the end zone Andrews motioned for his teammates Mark Ingram and Hayden Hurst to join him to make the “planting the flag” gesture.

The original celebration was started by Baker Mayfield in a college football game between Oklahoma and Ohio State on September 9, 2017. After Oklahoma defeated Ohio State, Mayfield ran back onto the field and planted an Oklahoma flag in the middle of the Ohio State “O” on the 50-yard line.

Bosa, who played for Ohio State in that game got revenge on Mayfield when the 49ers defeated the Browns 31-3 on Monday Night Football earlier this season. It was the only game of the season where Mayfield’s poor play forced him to the bench. On one play, Bosa clinged on to Mayfield’s legs and forced him to throw the ball away.  Bosa said he told Mayfield, “Baker? Baker? You good? Come on, pick it up. We want a challenge.” Bosa followed this up by mocking him with the same celebration Mayfield had used against Ohio State.

Andrews, who is a close friend and former teammate of Mayfield’s said, “It was a little comeback. ‘Bosa, Bosa,’ it was one of those things, just like he said, ‘Baker, Baker.’ It is what it is. Just having fun out there. You kind of talk bad about Oklahoma, you’re going to get reprimanded.”

It went back and forth with other players copying touchdown dances. 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel imitated Raven’s quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s signature moves after a 33-yard touchdown. “They can have fun doing that on the flight home,” said Raven’s cornerback Jimmy Smith.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

Nick Bosa had all the talent in the world to be a top pick in the NFL Draft. However, he didn’t have the Twitter to.

Leading up to the draft, the Ohio State product had to scrub his Twitter of any controversial content, removing posts and unfollowing accounts. In the past, Bosa has liked what some define as “homophobic and racist” content.

Even then, the San Francisco 49ers still felt that Bosa had too much to pass up. Maybe even his tweets calling former quarterback-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick “a clown” for his kneeling protests of social injustices and police brutalities made him more likable to the ownership group that blackballed the quarterback. But even so, when drafted, he still had to join a defensive united that featured cornerback Richard Sherman, one of the league’s most active players in discussing issues regarding social justice.

Sherman quelled any unrest in the eyes of fans on Monday. He told The Sacramento Bee:  “One thing about football is that nobody really cares what you say if you can play. At the end of the day, I think a guy that has played with African Americans his whole life, not saying he can’t be racist, but they know how to maneuver around African Americans.”

At his introductory news conference for a team in one of the NFL’s most progressive markets, Bosa acknowledged his past actions.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

“I definitely made some insensitive decisions throughout my life, and I’m just excited to be here with a clean slate,” he said. “I’m sorry if I hurt anybody. I definitely didn’t intend for that to be the case, but I think me being here is even better for me as a person because I don’t think there’s any city that you could really be in that would help you grow as much as this one will.”

Bosa continued: “I’m going to be surrounded by people, all different kinds, so I’m going to grow as a person and I’m going to be on my own. College, you have kind of like that support system around you. Now I’m here, I’m going to be on my own, I’m going to grow up, I’m going to learn a lot of new things.”

Sherman, though acknowledging everything Bosa has said and done, said that his focus was on football.

“It’s not like something where guys are like, ‘Hey man, what about what you said?’ No. No. If he can play, he can play. If he can’t play, he won’t be here,” the four time Pro-Bowler said. “But at the end of the day, that’s all that matters in football. Is he getting sacks on Sunday? Is he helping our team? Is he being a good teammate? Those are things that matter. Now if he’s a bad teammate, that’s something we’ll address.”

Though the 2019 NFL draft has been noted for its lack of quarterback depth, there’s been no shortage of defensive players. The draft is jam-packed with physical freaks. On the defensive line alone, Mississippi State’s Montez Sweat, Ohio State‘s Nick Bosa, and Alabama‘s Quinnen Williams are all available. Here’s the story behind their 40-yard dash times.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Sweat clocks in at 6-foot-5⅞, 260 pounds. In his last two seasons with the Bulldogs, he haunted offenses, getting 22 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss. The reason became clear on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium. Sweat ran an official time of 4.41 in the 40-yard dash. That means he can top out at speeds faster than Odell Beckham Jr and Julio Jones, burn Antonio Brown, and match peak Adrian Peterson. Imagine having to stop that. If he can get 40-yards downfield that quickly, he can get to the quarterback even quicker.

The 4.41 time is the fastest of a defensive lineman since 2006. In fact, Sweat beat out 21 of the 23 running backs in the draft.

Nick Bosa lined up in the shadow of his brother, Joey, a pro-bowl lineman for the Los Angeles Chargers. After a core muscle injury and then surgery, Bosa shut himself down after just three games to prepare for the combine. While a 4.79 40 time doesn’t jump off the spreadsheet, knowing that he bested Joey’s run by .09 seconds shows how skilled he is. If the Arizona Cardinals don’t snatch up the Ohio State product first overall, it’s hard to believe the San Francisco 49ers won’t call his name with the next pick.

Quinnen Williams was the rare impact defensive tackle during his time at Alabama. He demolished one on one defenders and stormed through double teams throughout the season. Though Williams had only one year of production as a starter, his talent is obvious to anyone who’s seen him play. At 303 pounds, he ran a 4.83 40. That was good enough to be the second-fastest of any player over 300 pounds since 2006. The thing is, that was his second attempt. After running a 4.87 the first time, Williams’ agent advised him to call it quits. Instead, he bet on himself and came out a winner. Now, he finds himself projected to be a top 3 pick.

Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa withdrew from school to focus on the rehab of an injured core muscle, according to a Buckeyes announcement on Tuesday. The All-American presumably made the move to use his time and prep for the 2019 NFL Draft.

Ohio State’s Nick Bosa To Nurse Injury

“I was hopeful that Nick would be able to return to play again for us,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said in a statement. “I know this was an extremely difficult and emotional decision for Nick and his family, and I wish him well as he moves on to get himself 100 percent healthy and ready for his next chapter. I want to thank Nick for the remarkable efforts he gave for this program. He is a first-class young man who we have been honored to coach.”

Meyer also described meeting with the Bosa family. “It was very emotional,” he said. “We love Nick. The Bosa family has been awesome for Ohio State and the program. Nick is a first-class guy.”

Bosa, a junior, injured a core muscle during a 40-28 win over TCU on September 15. He’s been out recovering since after undergoing surgery to repair the muscle on September 20th. Bosa, the 2017 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, wasn’t cleared for team activities and was ruled out for the team’s game against Purdue this week.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Through three games, Bosa put up an incredible four sacks and six tackles for loss. He was also leading the team in tackles when he was injured.

Nick is the younger brother of Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa, who also was a star at Ohio State. The elder Bosa went on to be the third overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Nick Bosa is currently ranked as the number one prospect in the upcoming draft, according to draft experts.

The injury isn’t expected to change Bosa’s draft status, and his move to withdraw from school should only help his draft stock as it reduces the risk of aggravating the injury.

Meyer has said he has yet to address Bosa’s departure with the team.