San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa could be back on the field next Monday night against the Washington Commanders, head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday, October 12, although he stopped well short of calling the pass rusher ready.
Shanahan grouped Bosa with fullback Kyle Juszczyk and defensive lineman James Thompson Jr., saying all three have a real shot at playing on October 19 and that the club will need the whole week of practice to judge them. “They’ve all got a chance, but definitely not saying they’re good to go right now,” Shanahan said.
49ers DE Nick Bosa might be able to return next Monday night vs. Washington. "We know he's got a chance," Kyle Shanahan said today. "I think him, [FB] Kyle Juszczyk and [DL] James Thompson [Jr.] are all kind of in the same boat. They’ve all got a chance, but definitely not saying…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 12, 2026
A return would end a three-game absence for Bosa, who strained his left calf while warming up before practice on September 24. He has not played since Week 2, and the 49ers went to Seattle on Sunday without him for the third straight game, winning 32-29 to move to 5-0.
Bosa’s own timeline
Bosa had already pointed at this game. Speaking to Matt Maiocco last Friday, he called it “pretty darn likely” that he would face Washington, said he felt he had turned the corner in his recovery and expected to be playing again before the 49ers’ bye on November 1. He described a routine of running twice a day along with his normal lifting. Monday’s comments from his coach were more guarded: nothing is decided until San Francisco sees how the calf holds up in practice.
The calf strain is a separate problem from the torn ACL that cut his 2025 season to three games. While he has been out, the 49ers briefly carried veteran Matt Judon on their practice squad, and on Saturday they activated Mykel Williams, who made his season debut in Seattle after his own ACL recovery.
Juszczyk and Thompson
Juszczyk hyperextended his knee and suffered a bone bruise in the fourth quarter of the October 4 win over the Denver Broncos. An MRI ruled out ligament damage, and Adam Schefter put his expected absence at two to three weeks at the time; he missed the Seattle game. Thompson has been sidelined along with Bosa, and like him he was not expected back for Week 5.
The news comes on a day when the 49ers also learned that receiver Deebo Samuel will miss at least two weeks with a hamstring injury, so getting even one of the three back would help a roster that keeps losing pieces while it keeps winning. Every change in status will appear on the WhyNFL injury tracker.
What comes next
The 49ers (5-0) host the Commanders at Levi’s Stadium on Monday, October 19, at 8:15 p.m. EDT; the Game Center has the matchup. San Francisco then visits the Atlanta Falcons on October 25.
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