Family ties in the NFL always make for entertaining storylines, especially when relatives face off — or get the rare chance to team up. Few sibling duos have impacted more in recent years than the Bosa brothers: edge rushers Nick and Joey Bosa.
Both were excited about possibly playing together in 2025 after the Los Angeles Chargers released Joey. For a brief window during free agency, he was strongly linked to the San Francisco 49ers, with many around the league believing the deal could happen. Ultimately, though, he ended up signing with the Buffalo Bills.
Nick Bosa Reveals His Brother Came Very Close To Signing with the 49ers
Amid several roster changes made by the 49ers this offseason, the defense saw the most turnover. On the defensive line alone, Leonard Floyd, Javon Hargrave, and Maliek Collins all left in free agency, leaving Nick seemingly alone with rookies and rotational pieces. The team eventually traded for Bryce Huff to strengthen the unit for the season.
But before that, the interest in Joey was genuine and came very close to happening. 49ers fans were excited about the possibility of seeing the brothers play opposite each other. They even launched social media campaigns to get the front office’s attention, but it didn’t work out.
After Joey signed with Buffalo, it was revealed that the 49ers did try to bring him in, but the Bills ultimately offered more and secured the deal. His brother commented on how close Joey came to teaming up with him in California, saying there was a moment when he thought it might happen.
“Maybe for 5 minutes on the phone….maybe I can’t say that.”
Nick Bosa jokes about whether or not he thought Joey Bosa would be a member of the #49ers this offseason.
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) June 4, 2025
“Maybe for 5 minutes on the phone….maybe I can’t say that,” Bosa said.
The player added that he understood why the deal didn’t go through, noting, “Business is business,” the franchise did what it could. Still, once his brother opted for more money, there wasn’t much San Francisco could do to unite the duo, especially given Joey’s injury history and the fact that he hasn’t played a full season since 2019.
Joey ended up signing a one-year, $12.6 million deal with the Bills. He’s already suffered a calf injury during team workouts and is expected to miss time until training camp. That’s been a harsh reality in his career, but he’s expected to recover in time for the season.
Between the two brothers, Nick has had the more successful NFL career so far. While both were named Defensive Rookie of the Year, the 49ers star also won Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, when he racked up 18.5 sacks and 90 pressures, solidifying his place among the elite at the position.
If the duo had united in San Francisco, it would’ve been a gift for fans, but maybe not a game-changing move on the field. The 49ers’ decision not to rush things allowed them to focus on more durable players and promising rookies.