Advertisement

Nick Bosa’s ambidextrous play keeps the opposition guessing | You Pod To Win The Game

Yahoo Sports NFL writer Jori Epstein chats with San Francisco 49ers defense end Nick Bosa about how he’ll strive to improve his game after winning Defensive Player of the Year last season, what former 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans brings to the Houston Texans as a head coach and how Texans rookie defensive end Will Anderson might follow in Bosa’s footsteps. Plus, Nick is partnering with CELSIUS, the energy drink fueling Ferrari at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday!

Video Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

JORI EPSTEIN: You're coming off in 18 and 1/2 sack season, Defensive Player of the Year. Where do you want to grow your game even more in 2023? Give me an example.

NICK BOSA: I want to keep refining the best moves that I do, and maybe add more. And for me, I play on both sides of the line, so I try to really get my coordination down on each side for each move because I do certain things on each side better, but I want to get to the point where I'm interchangeable. I could kick out to end on the right side or the left side, and I could hit whatever move that I want to use or whatever is effective that I've seen on film against that particular offensive lineman.

JORI EPSTEIN: For sure. Which moves do you think you're better on the right side and which on the left?

NICK BOSA: I can't tell you that. I can't tell you. That's a secret. In the NFL, we watch a lot of tape. So those guys are studying me, and they're really good, so they need to figure it out for themselves. But just each move, inside moves, spin moves, swipes, certain power variations that I use are better on each side.

And I try to just-- it's weird because it's just a coordination thing. Like, I'm ambidextrous, but I do feel a little more comfortable with certain things on each side, and that's just from years and years of playing on a certain side, getting comfortable. And then-- and I'm lucky because I kind of get to switch around as I please, which is nice.

JORI EPSTEIN: One of the coaches who helped your success the last couple of years is DeMeco Ryans. You were with him for four years, coordinating your defense for two. Describe his coaching style to me and what are the Texans getting in DeMeco.

NICK BOSA: I always knew from when he was a QC and he was just kind of at the bottom of the totem pole of coaching, and my rookie year, and he climbed it really quickly. I always knew that he had the leadership abilities to be that head coach, and you kind of need to be a motivator and just a guy that people respect. And whenever you have a former player who is a great player, and then comes in as a coach and just kind of commands the respect from a room and is so comfortable getting in front of a room and conveying a message that motivates, that's just kind of a talent that you can build, but you kind of have it or you don't.

And I think that's his biggest strength. Obviously, he's a great defensive coach. He trusts the strengths of his defense. He trusted us as a d-line and allowed us to play free. And I think that helped everybody along the defense, but the leadership ability is one thing that I think the Texans are lucky to have.

JORI EPSTEIN: For sure. They, obviously, get the quarterback at two then trade back up to three to get Willie Anderson Jr. You've been a defensive lineman on his staff. What do you think he can do with Will Anderson Jr? What's the potential there?

NICK BOSA: I don't know the scheme they're going to go with. I don't know if they're going to stand them up as a 3-4 backer, or put him down hand in the ground and try and do something similar to what we did. I'm pretty sure they're going to try and emulate what we did in San Francisco because of the success we had, and with a young guy like that, you can mold him into a lot of things and it'll be exciting. I heard he likes to watch tape on me, so it will be fun to see. It would be fun to see him try some of my moves out.

JORI EPSTEIN: This partnership with Celsius, take me through what y'all are doing together, and what you want our Yahoo audience to know about Celsius.

NICK BOSA: Well, Celsius has become a really big, big partner with me, and I'm very thankful that they've brought me along on the ride because I've been a big fan of the drink. I think four years ago was when I started drinking it, but, yeah, we kind of just started this year with the F1 race that's coming up this weekend in Miami. It's a hometown thing. They're based out of Boca. I'm from Fort Lauderdale.

The race is in Miami. So keep it-- keeping it in South Florida, which I love.

JORI EPSTEIN: Yeah. Awesome. Well, thank you so much for your time, Nick. I appreciate it. Good luck with the rest of your offseason, and we will talk to you soon.

NICK BOSA: Thank you so much. That was great.