Nick Bosa didn’t need long to close in on a 49ers playoff record. Following his two-sack performance in the divisional playoffs against Green Bay, the former No. 2 overall pick now has 6.5 playoff sacks in his career. That leaves him 1.0 behind Charles Haley for the team’s all-time playoff record.
Haley posted his 7.5 sacks across 12 games between the 1986 season and 1998 season. For Bosa he’s reached the 6.5 mark in just five games during his two playoff runs since joining he 49ers in 2019.
The key for Bosa will be to keep up the pace he set – something Haley was unable to do. He put up 5.5 sacks in his first five games, including 2.0 in Super Bowl XXIII vs. the Bengals. After that he had just 1.0 in his final seven playoff contests.
It’d be good news for the 49ers’ 2021 run if Bosa eclipses Haley’s mark this year. So much of their success revolves around the pass rush’s ability to impact opposing quarterbacks, and if Bosa is having a big game in the NFC championship it probably means the Rams are having a hard time putting points on the board.
San Francisco selected Bosa No. 2 overall in the 2019 draft in hopes he’d be a game-wrecking player on the edge. He’s been stellar in two full regular seasons and he’s on track to also become one of the most impactful postseason defensive players in 49ers history.