In just another day at the office, San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa casually roasted the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line in a press conference on Thursday.
When asked about his impression of Chiefs tackles Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith, Bosa simply said, “They hold a lot.”
For added context, the 49ers reporter did note during his question that Taylor led the NFL in penalties, which very well could have primed Bosa’s blunt answer.
Nick Bosa on his impression of Chiefs tackles Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor:
“They hold a lot.” pic.twitter.com/U0YGXiCMqZ
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) February 1, 2024
Still, neither the reporter nor Bosa are wrong. Taylor, who was signed by the Chiefs last offseason to a four-year, $80 million deal, led the league with 19 penalties in 17 starts during the 2023 season, recording seven more flags than the next player on the list. Of those penalties, seven were holding calls, nine were false starts, and three were declined or offset. Fellow tackle Donovan Smith also racked up six penalties.
Bosa’s barbed critique of the Chiefs offense’s sloppy plays may serve no greater purpose than trying to get under Kansas City’s skin. On the other hand, the four-time Pro Bowler may be intentionally trying to direct the NFL officiating crew’s attention to Kansas City’s offensive line when the teams face each other in Super Bowl LVIII.
As the Chiefs and 49ers continue to prepare for their highly anticipated showdown on Feb. 11, it would appear that the mind games have already started.
