49ers lose Nick Bosa to season-ending ACL tear in win over Cardinals

San Francisco’s 30 start came at a steep price on Sunday. The 49ers edged the Arizona Cardinals 16-15 at Levi's Stadium, but Pro Bowl defensive end Nick Bosa left the game in the first half with a right knee injury and team officials confirmed Monday that an MRI revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament that will require season-ending surgery.

Bosa, who limped to the sideline after a third-down rush and was later seen giving a thumbs-down gesture toward the stands, did not return. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said initial sideline tests had not shown a definitive tear but that the team was concerned; after Monday’s imaging he described the ACL damage as “as clean as it gets” and confirmed the player will undergo reconstructive surgery. Bosa previously tore an ACL in 2020 and has been one of the league’s premier pass rushers since entering the NFL in 2019.

Despite the loss, the 49ers prevailed on Eddy Piñeiro’s 35-yard field goal as time expired. Mac Jones, making a second straight start with Brock Purdy sidelined by a turf-toe variant, led the winning drive. Jones completed 27 of 41 passes for 284 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Christian McCaffrey was pivotal on the...