49ers' Bosa ready for 'normal workload' after signing megadeal

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is ready to play as many snaps as possible despite being back with his team for only two days after signing his record extension.

"I'm confident," Bosa said Friday ahead of San Francisco's Week 1 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "I'm not sure what (coach) Kyle (Shanahan's) plan is, but I would be up for (a) normal workload, for sure."

Bosa held out this past offseason while negotiating a new contract with the team. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year inked a five-year, $170-million deal to become the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.

The 25-year-old officially signed his new contract Friday.

"I'm so excited to be a Niner for life," Bosa said in a video posted by the team. "Let's go win as many rings as we can."

Despite Bosa not being with the team during training camp, Shanahan said on Wednesday that he expects Bosa to face the Steelers, jokingly adding that the only way the All-Pro defender wouldn't be on the field is if he showed up at practice with a "beer belly."

"He looked exactly how we were expecting him to look," Shanahan said Friday, according to Wagoner. "Looks in real good shape. Looks ready to go. We got an idea how we're going to use him and I think he'll do all right."

Bosa was the best player in a 49ers defense that allowed the fewest points in the league in 2022.

The Ohio State product led the NFL with 18.5 sacks despite missing one game due to injury. Bosa has racked up 43 sacks in 51 appearances since being drafted second overall in 2019.