The San Francisco 49ers have become the NFL's most-injured team during the last few years, as big names keep missing more and more games. Even with that designation, the latest injury sustained by star pass rusher Nick Bosa stands out as something that is even more concerning than most bumps and bruises.
Bosa sustained a lower body injury in San Francisco's low-scoring slobberknocker against the division rival Arizona Cardinals, and he didn't immediately jump back up in a sign that he was going to be OK. Bosa didn't even try to pretend that he was in good spirits.
Bosa gave fans a thumbs down when they looked to him for an immediate reaction after the injury. Bosa also returned to the team's sideline in street clothes. While this may not be encouraging for his short-term availability, there's a chance he avoided anything long-term.
49ers star Nick Bosa gives fans thumbs down after tough injury vs. Cardinals
Even though the addition of rookie Mykel Williams and trade addition Bryce Huff gave this Robert Saleh-led defense a much firmer pass rush, it goes without saying that any chance of San Francisco contending goes out the window if Bosa is forced to miss any extended time.
Bosa has dealt with injuries throughout his professional career, even if on a lesser scale than his brother Joey. Despite those injuries, Bosa has been so effective that he demands the attention of the entire offensive coaching staff whenever he is on the field.
If Bosa is banged up for the next few weeks, the 49ers may need to cobble together a pass rush while working around Williams' still-developing overall game and Huff's very clear inability to defend the run at a high level. San Francisco has gotten pretty good about working through injuries, but things are getting grim without Bosa.
The 49ers and their fans shouldn't necessarily slam the panic button until they get any sort of confirmation that Bosa is going to miss a good chunk of time, but if he is already giving thumbs down to fans in the instant aftermath, that isn't a good look.
Editor's update: Kyle Shanahan told reporters Bosa's initial diagnosis isn't a torn ACL, but a more detailed diagnosis is still pending.