SANTA CLARA — This Nick Bosa speech cannot wait until the eve of Super Bowl XLVIII. Instead, the star defensive end has a message to share.
“You don’t understand it as much as a rookie, how hard it is to get there, how hard you have play, how locked in you have to be for the entire four quarters if you actually want to win. I’ve learned that,” Bosa said.
He and the 49ers learned the hard way four years ago, when they couldn’t hold a 10-point lead with seven minutes remaining in their 31-20, Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs.
“I’m just going to relay to the guys there has to be a different level of effort, of intensity, of unselfishness that you have to get to for every single snap that you’re in there,” Bosa added.
Linebacker Fred Warner echoed that, saying: “When you’re young and naïve, so early in your career, it’s, ‘This is what it’s like, and you go to the Super Bowl every year.’ That’s not the case. We’ve been so close and have another opportunity. You have to sell out for three hours and give it your best.”
Bosa, for the past couple of seasons, has addressed his teammates on the eve of games. It’s a task Shanahan assigned to the typically laid-back superstar.
“Earlier this year, he said thanks for doing that, he’s not as nervous anymore,” Shanahan said. “Nick doesn’t waste words, because he doesn’t use many of them.”
Thursday’s words included the customary praise for the Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, as well as the leadership-like encouragement for the 49ers’ defense to raise it’s level back up to its 2019 caliber.
As for their defensive strategy against Mahomes, Bosa said: “Keeping him in the pocket the best you can is one of the big things, because he loves to improvise. Then full-on effort. Kyle called it: Defensive-line stamina is the key to the game.”
Bosa sulked on the 49ers’ bench with his head shrouded by a towel following the Super Bowl four years ago in Miami. As for this rematch, “It’s definitely going to bring some emotion that I’m trying to hold back until we get close,” Bosa said. “We still have a lot of time so you don’t want to burn out. But it’s going to be an intense day.”
McCAFFREY VS. CHIEFS
What’s the difference for Christian McCaffrey in facing the Chiefs this time than in Week 7 of the 2022 season? “He knows the guys’ names,” Shanahan said, alluding to how McCaffrey arrived two days earlier in a trade from Carolina. “He knows the runs we’re calling instead of guys pointing him in the right direction. That was amazing. We didn’t plan on playing him at all.
“I think he got here on a Friday afternoon. The way he was talking to me, I said we better send him a playbook because he might be playing because he’s adamant he could do it. When we played him, he was definitely right. That was a sign of what we had. He was amazing in that game and he’s been the same dude every since.”
PRACTICE REPORT
Tight end George Kittle did not practice because of a toe injury, the severity of which Shanahan did not detail when asked if it is “turf toe,” or a hyperextension. Limited in practice were cornerback Ambry Thomas (ankle) and linebacker Oren Burks (shoulder). Defensive tackles Arik Armstead (knee, foot) and Kalia Davis (ankle) were full participants.
The only Chiefs who did not practice were defensive end Charles Omenihu (knee) and guard Joe Thuney (pectoral). Limited were defensive tackle Chris Jones (quadriceps), running back Isaiah Pacheco (toe, ankle) and wide receiver Skyy Moore (knee)
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