Still, defensive end Nick Bosa's dominant 2022 campaign was enough to solidify his lead among 49ers teammates. The star pass rusher earned over 43 percent of the fans from fans. McCaffrey came in second with nearly 29 percent of the votes, while rookie quarterback Brock Purdy earned almost 21 percent.
Our fans have chosen an MVP annually since the 1998 season when quarterback Steve Young became the first player to win the honor. The last defensive lineman to earn the award was DeForest Buckner for his 2016 campaign efforts.
Bosa finished the 2022 season with a league-leading 18.5 sacks, adding 51 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss, 48 quarterback hits, a pass defensed, and two forced fumbles. Per Pro Football Focus, his 90 total pressures tied with Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons for the most in the league.
Bosa's Pro Football Focus overall grade of 90.9, pass rush grade of 90.9, and tackle grade of 71.4 are career highs. He earned first-team All-Pro honors and was selected to his third Pro Bowl roster. Bosa is the favorite to be named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
San Francisco made Bosa the No. 2 overall pick, selecting him out of Ohio State in the 2019 NFL Draft. The talented pass rusher was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first season. Bosa is in his fourth NFL season and is likely slated to become the highest-paid defender in the NFL.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers Notebook: Lack of takeaways leads to head-scratching; Nick Bosa's big night; Shanahan on Joshua Dobbs; Jauan Jennings throws Terrion Arnold out of the club
For a while on Monday night, it looked like the San Francisco 49ers might be on their way to a rare bright spot amid a rough 2024 season, as they were moving the ball at will against the favored Detroit Lions and had worked their way into a 28-21 third-quarter lead. But things... -
Nick Bosa on early offseason start for 49ers: "We kind of needed it as a team"
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged that while he'd prefer to be preparing for the playoffs, starting the offseason work earlier could prove valuable. With the team's streak of deep playoff runs at an end, the 49ers enter their season finale at 6-10,... -
Week 17 predictions: Can the 49ers upset the Lions? Fans weigh in
The San Francisco 49ers are set to host the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Monday, December 30, at 5:15 p.m. PT. The Lions enter the contest as 3.5-point favorites. Each week, 49ers Webzone staff members participate in the NFL Pick 'em contest,... -
49ers mailbag: Why did SF abandon the run against Detroit? Will the 49ers focus on offense or defense this offseason? Will SF replace Nick Sorensen with Robert Saleh?
There are a lot of questions that will follow the San Francisco 49ers into the offseason. Who will get extensions? Who will be let go? What moves will they make in free agency and the draft? And many more. You have questions, as well, and that's a good thing because we opened...