Kyle Shanahan has never been one to make decisions based on sentiment. He’s built his reputation on ruthless pragmatism, prioritizing fit and future over nostalgia and name value. But when a fan movement started buzzing about a potential blockbuster addition to the 49ers‘ defense, even he had to stop and consider. The connections were obvious, the upside undeniable. For a moment, it seemed like the stars might align.
But in the NFL, decisions aren’t made on hope alone. There was a reason Shanahan hesitated. And when the dust settled, he walked away entirely—leaving one of the offseason’s biggest free-agent battles to another contender. We’re referring to Cheryl Bosa starting a whirlwind petition a few days ago when the Chargers cut her elder son and long-time servant, LB Joey Bosa. Her younger son, Nick Bosa, was already a star in San Francisco. She and all other fans believed that the Niners HC Kyle Shanahan could find a place for the veteran linebacker.
But things didn’t move the way she wanted them to. He initially showed interest in the 5-time Pro Bowler. But as days passed by, he pulled his steps back. Here’s what that happened. NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco appeared on the March 12 episode of The Rich Eisen Show. While talking about Kyle Shanahan not going all-in for the LB, he claimed, “The problem is they were burned so much with injuries last year. I think it’s why they didn’t overextend for Dre Greenlaw, why they didn’t overextend for Joey Bosa.” That seems right.
He has a past full of injuries. In 2018, he injured his foot, which sidelined him until week 11. It was a similar case in the 2021 Pro Bowl game as he didn’t play because of an undisclosed injury. 2022 was the real dent in his playing time. He suffered a groin injury that needed surgery.
In 2022 and 2023, he played only 14 games (9 as a starter) and recorded 30 tackles (22 solo), 9 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 defended pass. But the 49ers suffered hard. Their premier running back Christian McCaffrey, LB Dre Greenlaw, WR Brandon Aiyuk (and many others) were injured. Kyle Shanahan couldn’t use them. It was despair as they failed to qualify for the post season.
Fearing another such situation, he gave up on the linebacker. Cheryl Bosa’s petition was left unfulfilled, but her elder son found another AFC destination for himself.
Joey Bosa signs a one-year deal with Bills
Kyle Shanahan and Sean McDermott got into a free agency battle over the linebacker. In the end, the AFC East side won over the NFC West side. It fulfills the void in the Bills after releasing Von Miller. According to the NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Joey Bosa signed a 1-year $12 million deal that could go up to $15.6 million with incentives.
At this price range, it’s a jackpot for the franchise. In 2020, he was the highest paid defensive player of the league, with a 5-year $135 million contract, at an average of $27 million. The current contract is less than half of what he commanded back then. But his share has also gone down based on injuries. It could turn out to be a lottery ticket or a lotto bust.
Based on the current scenarios, Joey Bosa could use the 2025 season to regain his value in the NFL. The Bills need to rise above their ultimate nemesis, the Chiefs. In that context, it may help that on November 29, 2020, Bosa recorded a career-high nine total tackles, including three sacks on quarterback Josh Allen.
The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) has to run it back to his prime years. It’s the drive to succeed that can make things work for him. Will that happen? We’ll find out soon.
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