Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Few doubt that defensive end Nick Bosa will win NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Some wonder if the game-changing pass rusher should be in the discussion for NFL MVP. Teammates like tight end George Kittle have pushed for it.
“I mean, he’s better than everybody else,” Kittle recently told reporters. “He’s a better athlete. He’s stronger. He’s faster. He’s so smart. The moves that he does, he’s so creative. He’s so good at getting offensive linemen’s hands off of him. His effort is always there. When Bosa gets a sack, it just kind of ignites the entire team too.”
Kittle added, “And if you look at what he does every [game] compared to everyone else around the league, whether it’s offense or defense, I don’t know why [he’s] not in the MVP conversation too.”
The last defensive player named NFL MVP was Lawrence Taylor in 1986. The last non-quarterback to earn the honor was Adrian Peterson in 2012. The voting for the award tends to favor quarterbacks and seems to value offensive stars above defensive ones.
Would 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan make a case for his 25-year-old pass rusher?
“I definitely would,” Shanahan responded. “It’s always tough [competing] with quarterbacks because of how big of a deal quarterbacks are to their teams and in the league, and how great some of them are. So they usually get it, but the other position that’s so impactful are pass rushers.
“You think of someone like Lawrence Taylor, it’s going to make sense for someone like that to win it. I think it would make sense for someone like Aaron Donald in some of the years that he’s had. And you look at Nick, I think he’s right in that league right there of those two people that I just mentioned, and I think he’s having that type of year.”
Bosa leads the league with 17.5 sacks and could surpass the franchise record for sacks in a single season, set by Aldon Smith in 2012. Bosa has racked up 33 sacks over the last two seasons and 42 over his career.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the betting favorite for MVP.
“It depends on how the votes go and stuff,” Shanahan continued. “It always surprises you because of the quarterback situation but by no means is it not warranted. He’s that good of a player, and those guys are like that every once in a while.”
Report it.
LISTEN
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Should 49ers’ Nick Bosa be in the discussion for MVP? Ian Rapoport weighs in
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is the clear frontrunner for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and it may not be close. The pass rusher leads the league with 17.5 sacks, adding 48 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 42 quarterback hits, a pass defended, and two forced fumbles along the way. Bosa was a game-wrecker on Christmas Eve against the Washington Commanders. The defensive end had two sacks, was very close to a third, and even brought down the quarterback on a two-point conversion attempt by the Commanders, which does not count towards his sack total. Bosa is within striking distance of the single-season franchise record of 19.5 sacks, set by Aldon Smith in
Talanoa Hufanga, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner among six 49ers to earn 2023 Pro Bowl selections
The 2023 Pro Bowl Games rosters have been announced, and the San Francisco 49ers will be represented for the sixth consecutive year. The six 49ers players below have been selected for the NFC roster. The consensus votes of fans, players, and coaches determine roster selections. Each group’s vote counts one-third toward determining the 88 Pro Bowl players. The 2023 Pro Bowl Games will be a week-long celebration of AFC vs. NFC competitions that culminate in a flag football game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, February 5. It will be televised on ESPN and ABC. Nick Bosa, defensive end (starter) This is Nick Bosa’s third Pro Bowl selection (2019, 2021-22) in his four NFL seasons. The pass rusher leads the league with 15.5
Why Kyle Shanahan believes 49ers’ Nick Bosa has already locked up DPOY
San Francisco 49ers pass rusher Nick Bosa is the clear frontrunner for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The defensive end leads the league with 17.5 sacks and is within striking distance of the single-season franchise record of 19.5 set by Aldon Smith in 2012. Bosa has two games remaining to match or surpass that record, which is on his mind as he closes out of the regular season. “I’m kind of eyeing the nineteen-and-a-half more than [the NFL sack record],” Bosa admitted after Saturday’s win over the Washington Commanders. Even if he didn’t break any records, Bosa’s head coach believes the defensive end has already locked up NFL Defensive
49ers DE Nick Bosa has been elite, but the “help” has been equally as impressive
By Rohan Chakravarthi
December 20
The San Francisco 49ers have been the best defense in the NFL during the 2022 campaign, spearheaded by defensive end Nick Bosa, who recently became the frontrunner to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. A prime reason why the defense has had such success? The unit has consistently pressured opposing quarterbacks while allowing the fewest rushing yards per game and fewest yards per carry. DE Nick Bosa has led the charge, putting together a 15-sack, 70-pressure season, while generating a pass-rush win rate of nearly 25%, which is among the best in the NFL. However, a critical aspect of the 49ers’ success along the defensive line has been Bosa’s “help”, led by breakout DE Charles Omenihu, who has quietly produced a strong season as San
.