Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa revealed Thursday that he suffered a broken hand during a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams on August 4, which required surgery. Bosa returned to practice on Tuesday, wearing a protective black club on his left hand. This club, made of cast material, tape, and padding, allows players to continue playing while recovering from injuries.
Playing with Club
Bosa assured reporters that the injury won’t cause him to miss any games, though he will need to wear the club during games for a portion of the season.
“It sucks. The moment you get injured, you have a million thoughts go through your head and most of them are negative,” Bosa said. “I was feeling really good about the place I was heading to, and I still do. I went through the woes for a couple days and, you know, got good news and, you know, moved on.”
Concerns and Progress
Bosa admitted he was initially concerned about losing strength after the surgery but said he has had “three really good practices” this week that show he still has his power. However, he acknowledged that his conditioning “needs work.”
The club will only be a temporary addition to Bosa’s game-day gear. Although he didn’t give a specific timeline for when he will play without it, Bosa mentioned he would feel comfortable playing without the club now but is wearing it as a precaution.
“There’s no reason to rush and cause any problems,” Bosa said, looking at his swollen left hand. “Not that there really could be, other than some pain of a bunch of hardware in there, keeping my bones together, so it’s not really a risk of much of an injury.
“Once I have complete range and grip strength, which I pretty much already do, I’ll be out of it.”
Injury History
Bosa has dealt with injuries in the past two seasons, which have hampered his performance. After entering the league in 2016 and quickly establishing himself as one of the NFL’s top edge rushers, making four Pro Bowls in his first six seasons, the Chargers rewarded him with a five-year, $135 million contract extension in 2020, making him the highest-paid defensive player at the time.
However, injuries, including hamstring, foot, and toe issues, have limited Bosa to just 14 games over the past two seasons. Due to his high salary, Bosa was considered a candidate to be traded or released before this season, but he took a pay cut in March, restructuring his contract to stay with the Chargers.
Contract Restructuring
Bosa’s restructured deal includes an $8 million guaranteed base salary this season and no guaranteed money in 2025, making this potentially his final season in Los Angeles.
“I’m feeling confident about having to perform, especially with another full week.”
This report used information from ESPN.
