What advice Rice would give 49ers star Bosa after ACL tear

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Sunday was a costly day for the 49ers, as they lost Nick Bosa, Solomon Thomas, Jimmy Garoppolo and Raheem Mostert all to injuries in their 31-13 Week 2 win over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

Bosa was the biggest blow, as the 49ers fear the star defensive end tore his ACL, which will end his season. 49ers great Jerry Rice tore his ACL in Week 1 of the 1997 season, and he had some sobering advice for Bosa as he prepares for a long and tedious recovery process.

"It's the worst injury ever," Rice said Monday on 95.7 The Game's "Koz, Lo and Dibs." "I remember when I tore my ACL against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As athletes, we all feel like we're invincible. We're like, 'Oh, I sprained my knee? I'll be OK.' Then you go in and it's a tear, and now it's all about that rehab, that rebuilding and all of that.

"I would say to him,' Don't rush yourself back.' That was my mistake because when I came back I cracked my patella. Take your time, it's going to be frustrating. You're going to feel like you're disconnected, not part of the team. But this guy is young and he's got a lot of football ahead of him. He's going to have to be smart and not rush himself back."

Bosa is expected to miss the rest of the season. Thomas also is feared to have suffered a severe knee injury.

After tearing his ACL in Week 1, Rice rushed to come back and shocked the NFL world by returning to the field in Week 15. But the legendary receiver cracked his patella in that game, and he attributes that to coming back too soon from the torn ACL.

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As for Garoppolo, he is expected to miss the 49ers' Week 3 game against the New York Giants. A high-ankle sprain normally keeps players sidelined for four to six weeks, but given Garoppolo's statuesque nature in the pocket, he could try to come back sooner.

The 49ers (1-1) will have to withstand a star-studded list of injured players to stay afloat in the tough NFC West. But the loss of Bosa is one that simply can't be made up for.

They just have to hope he heeds Rice's advice, and is ready to go for the 2021 season.

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