49ers Nick Bosa wants to play with his brother, Joey Bosa… someday

The idea of Nick Bosa teaming up with Joey Bosa has intrigued 49ers fans, and the former certainly thinks it’s possible at some point.

When the San Francisco 49ers selected former Ohio State pass-rusher Nick Bosa with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, it didn’t take long for Niners fans to start the wishful-thinking process of hoping he could somehow be joined by his older brother, Los Angeles Chargers EDGE Joey Bosa.

Heck, even Niner Noise floated the idea of the older Bosa, selected by the Chargers at No. 3 overall in the 2016 draft, joining forces with his younger brother as early as 2021.

But that was before Joey Bosa signed his record-breaking five-year, $135 million contract extension with Los Angeles, making him the highest-paid defensive player in the league and placing him fourth highest among all active player contracts, currently.

Needless to say, Nick Bosa won’t be pairing up with his brother anytime soon.

“Hopefully, maybe, later in our careers get together, but we’re focused on our own paths right now.” – Nick Bosa on playing with his brother, Joey Bosa

Yet the thought of it happening at some point down the line is certainly a possibility, one which the younger Bosa told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco this week.

“Yeah, we spent every waking hour together the past six months, so obviously we have conversations like that,” Nick Bosa said when asked about potentially pairing with his brother.

“We were pretty confident that the Chargers were going to help get it done,” the 2019 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year added when discussing Joey Bosa’s new contract. “I’m really happy they did. Joey loves his team and his teammates, so he’s happy. He’s just happy to be stress-free and able to just go to work now.”

Joey Bosa was scheduled to play the upcoming season on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, potentially pegging him towards either a Chargers franchise tag or unrestricted free agency in 2021. With the new deal, however, Joey won’t be going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

“Hopefully, maybe, later in our careers get together, but we’re focused on our own paths right now,” Nick added.

There’s plenty of speculation Joey Bosa’s new contract could eventually be eclipsed by his younger brother, especially considering the gradual trend of player contracts only getting bigger and more lucrative. For those subscribing to the notion Nick Bosa has a higher ceiling and potential than his brother, it’s not too big a stretch to assume the former’s next contract winds up exceeding that of Joey Bosa.

“It will probably be a short-lived record, which is great because I’m happy to just set the bar and maybe my brother in a few years will surpass me,” Joey Bosa said. “I’m sure of that.”

Nick Bosa enters the second year of his four-year deal, and the 49ers also have the fifth-year option in 2023 with the potential of a franchise tag in 2024, so at least the second-year pro is under contractual control for a while. Teams can negotiate extensions with players after the third year into a rookie contract, meaning 2022 would be the first instance where Nick Bosa and the Niners could have such talks.

As far as both Nick Bosa and Joey Bosa teaming up together, especially in a 49ers uniform, it won’t likely happen anytime soon if at all.