DL Nick Bosa

DL Nick Bosa

Press Conference – January 15, 2020

San Francisco 49ers

How did it feel to get that-

“It feels good. Not much celebrating going on now, though. We have a game to prepare for.”

Is there a different feel to this week as opposed to last week?

“No. I think it’s pretty similar. Just extra energy all around. Just have to bring it.”

When you had DL Dee Ford back on the field with you Saturday, what did that do for the defensive line and what did you notice, the Vikings blockers, how they changed their scheme up?

“They didn’t change their scheme. Just having Dee is a mismatch for just about anybody, which opens up things for the other guys and everybody reaps the benefit.”

Lined up next to each other, what are the advantages?

“Just speed. It makes the O-Line think. They usually know something’s up and then we can catch them off guard with some other things. Then, obviously the other side of the line has to deal with [DL DeForest Buckner] Buck and [DL Arik] Armstead.”

When you came to this team, you said it wasn’t a 4-12 team. Obviously, QB Jimmy Garoppolo was hurt, but what made you say that about this team?

“Just being a football fan last year, knowing what kind of players they had on the roster. I didn’t know to this extent how good the depth was and stuff like that, but I just knew that of the top teams picking, this was definitely the most playoff-ready team.”

In what ways did your cousin Green Bay Packers WR Jake Kumerow influence you? I understand he worked out in Florida and lived with you for a while when preparing for the Draft. How did he shape your development?

“Not much. He’s a great friend. We grew up together. He lived in Chicago. We would visit and just have really good times together. I wouldn’t say he was a mentor to me or anything because I had my brother and my dad for that. But, he’s just a really good friend, and cousin, obviously, family.”

You and your brother Los Angeles Chargers DE Joey Bosa were very high draft picks and he wasn’t. He had to scrap his way to his place in the league. What do you think about sort of that path?

“It’s awesome. He actually, when I was in high school, was living down in South Florida training for the Combine, living with me and my mom while he trained. So, I got to see how hard he had to work to get to where he was, and how many tough years of being on the practice squad and stuff like that. He’s earned everything he’s got and I’m proud of him.”

You said after that October win in L.A., that this was a championship defense. Did you feel it after that game specifically or did you know that beforehand?
“I mean, I’m not saying I know things in the future, but it just seemed like we were playing really good ball and that we had everybody we needed to be one of the best in the league.”

Green Bay Packers T Bryan Bulaga left the game early hurt in that first game. When healthy, what does he bring?

“Just another really good tackle. Whenever you’re a veteran, I feel like being a veteran at tackle is probably the most advantageous because just all the savvy little tricks they have. I mean, he’s faced tons of good rushers over the years, just like their left tackle. It’s going to be even more difficult with him on the field.”

Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek after the game on Saturday, how has he kept sort of the message fresh for you guys week-in and week-out? Does he have a different message going into every game?

“Yeah, sometimes it’s the same though, because sometimes the same thing needs to happen for us to win. It usually revolves around stopping the run, setting edges, stuff like that. Just being physical is probably his biggest message every week.”

Niners have had such a great history in, forever. How much do you feel that history and how much do you feel this group, these coaches and general manager John Lynch, embrace the past and the history of this greatness?

“Yeah, I mean, just having guys around like [former 49ers WR] Jerry Rice just messing around before games with our receivers, that’s not a normal thing. You just walk around the facility, you see the Super Bowls. You see the past players. After the game yesterday, I was having dinner at a restaurant here and just seeing a bunch of people that you would never expect to be a 49ers fan and they are just here because the brand is so global. It’s really cool. It’s really cool to be a part of.”

One last question on Jake. You mentioned the time he lived with you and your mom in Florida. Any favorite memories from that time?

“We went fishing. We went fishing a lot. He’s a big fisherman so we would go out on the dock and catch all different kinds of fish.”

Talked about stuff do you in the run game, setting out the physicality. Looking at the Packers on film and preparing for this game, how difficult is it to stop some of the things they try to do in the run game or is it similar to Minnesota in the things that you worked, things that worked against the Vikings?

“It’s definitely similar, but they have a lot of little wrinkles that they add in to try to get the edge. Their running back likes to bounce it outside. But the principles are the same. Play the same technique, same everything. Just have to be more physical.”

Your teammates talk about how they feed off you as a defensive line, that everything trickles down. Is that something you guys are aware of and do you embrace the idea of setting the tone?

“Yeah, from the beginning of the year, we knew there was a lot invested in the room and if team wanted to go where we wanted to go, we had to be a part of it and obviously it’s not all up to us because we’ve had bad games and everybody else has picked up the slack for us. We just need to finish this year out strong.”