For San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa, the upcoming game against the Kansas City Chiefs is more than just a Super Bowl rematch.
The Chiefs have been the dominant team in the NFL over the past five years, with two of their three Super Bowl victories coming against the 49ers. Since being drafted by San Francisco in 2019, Bosa is 0-3 against Kansas City.
Following the 49ers’ 36-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks, Bosa spoke about the upcoming October 20 matchup. It’s clear the four-time Pro Bowler is eager to notch his first victory over the Chiefs.
“Obviously, this was a big one to get, and now we have a little time to get some guys healthy and then, yeah,” Bosa said. “I mean, we have a long road ahead, and it starts with the team we haven’t beaten since I’ve been here, so definitely trying to get the monkey off our back with that one.”
Beating Kansas City won’t be easy. The Chiefs are the AFC’s only undefeated team at 5-0 and are coming off a bye week.
Bosa Looking to Build Off Solid Start
After recording 15.5 sacks in 2021 and 18.5 in 2022, Bosa’s 2023 season was a bit underwhelming. He still managed 10.5 sacks, but it marked a drop from his 2022 Defensive Player of the Year season.
Six games into 2024, Bosa has had a solid, if unspectacular, start. He has three sacks, along with a forced fumble and an interception for San Francisco. By his high standards, he’ll be expecting more as the season progresses, but it’s still a respectable start.
With the Chiefs up next, Bosa could be poised for a big game. In his three career matchups against Kansas City, the former Ohio State standout has two sacks, three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
In the 2024 Super Bowl loss, Bosa didn’t record a sack, but he did hit Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes three times and made two tackles for loss.
49ers Star Downplays Chiefs Matchup
While Bosa clearly has the Chiefs game marked on his calendar, San Francisco tackle Trent Williams is approaching it like any other week. At the same press conference, Williams emphasized that there’s no revenge to be had against Kansas City.
“It’s another game. I mean, it’s not like we can get payback for losing in a Super Bowl. That ship has sailed. So it’s another game. We’ve got to come out and try to play complementary football,” the Niners lineman said. “Obviously, we know what type of team that is—one of the best teams in the league, all-star quarterback, you know, great coach. So it’s going to be a tough game regardless.”
Interestingly, Williams has also never beaten the Chiefs in his 14-year NFL career. He’s 0-2 with the 49ers and went 0-2 during his time with the Washington Commanders in 2013 and 2017.
For better or worse, two of San Francisco’s key players have very different perspectives on the Week 7 matchup.
