If you didn’t know the Bosa name and the family’s ties to football in South Florida, that likely changed after Super Bowl LIV.
San Francisco 49ers rookie Nick Bosa, 22, is a defensive end, the same position his father John Bosa, 56, played for the Miami Dolphins from 1987 – 1989.
The defensive end spot is also where his brother Joey Bosa, 24, starts on the field for the Los Angeles Chargers.
But Nick is the only one of the three Bosa men to play in the big game.
He was thrilled to be able to make family history on a field where his father competed.
“Playing in the same stadium [as my father did] for the Super Bowl is awesome,” Bosa said Jan. 27 during opening night of Super Bowl week at Marlins Park.
During the big game, Bosa and the 49ers had a 20-10 lead and were six minutes away from an awesome finish, too.
But the Kansas City Chiefs rallied with three late touchdowns to beat San
Francisco 31-20 and win their first Super Bowl in 50 years.
Bosa had five tackles, a sack and one forced fumble against Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
In the end, he was left in tears on the sideline as the Chiefs celebrated winning a title.
The Fort Lauderdale native attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School and Ohio State, where his brother Joey also went to school.
And just like his brother, Nick Bosa was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Bosa said he cherishes memories of the Sundays when his father took him to games.
“We loved going to the Dolphins games together,” Bosa said.
The 6-4, 266-pound Bosa was the 49ers’ second overall pick in the 2019 draft.
During his first NFL season he recorded 47 tackles, nine sacks and one interception.
Nick Bosa’s Super Bowl task was to rush Chiefs’ quarterback and two-time Pro Bowler Patrick Mahomes, 24.
But he said the 49ers would need more pass rushers to get to Mahomes.
“We can’t have one rusher, you got to rush the quarterback as a unit,” Bosa said.
Before the Super Bowl, Bosa was confident his team’s defense could get the job done.
“It’s a challenge for us but we’re excited for it,” he said.
Mahomes told reporters that Bosa and other defenders may give him problems during the game.
“They’re good everywhere,” he said. “They play off each other, they know the scheme and they do it well.”
The 49ers defense did challenge Mahomes, but the MVP overcame their disruptions and led his team to a historic win.