Why Bosa’s confident 49ers’ veteran leaders can help stabilize season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
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SANTA CLARA — The 49ers might not have had the start they wanted this season, but there is no worry from Nick Bosa.
The All-Pro defensive end recognizes that the team has been in this situation before and has the potential to turn it around and make a deep playoff run. And for that, Bosa credits the locker room’s character and the coaching staff.
“I think it’s huge,” Bosa said Wednesday. “We have a lot of leadership in this locker room, in coaches and players, and we’ve shown that throughout the years and been able to bounce back after tough starts. I don’t see why that won’t happen this year.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan sees San Francisco’s situation the same way. They have not played their best football, but there is no sense of panic at team headquarters.
“We’ve got great captains, we’ve got a great team,” Shanahan said. “We’ve been in this situation before where not everything is going perfect and you’re a little back is against the wall. But our group, our culture, it’s never really been an issue.
“I’ve never had to make a big deal about stuff. And anytime that there is, I’ll call guys in and address it.”
Heading into their eighth game of the season with a 3-4 record is not a new phenomenon for the 49ers, who had the same record in both 2021 and 2022, and consequently played well enough down the stretch to reach the NFC Championship Game in both seasons.
It was business as usual for the 49ers in the locker room and on the field Wednesday, as the team began preparation for Sunday’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium.
“Our team — we know each other pretty well, I think they know me pretty well,” Shanahan said. “We’ve got a group that, a bunch of good people that don’t blame each other and know what you’ve got to do after stuff like this.
“There’s only one thing, you can sit and talk and evaluate all this stuff or you can get to work and find a way to be better the next week.”
The 49ers hope to find a way to be better than the Cowboys (3-3) on Sunday, who are coming into the game well-rested after a bye week. Will the “Sunday Night Football” matchup be the launching point for the remainder of the 49ers’ 2024 season?
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