Joey Bosa had his first media availability session of mandatory minicamp since returning to the Chargers on a reworked contract this offseason. When asked about that process and returning, Bosa had this to say:
You know, I want to win. I want to be on this team. I want another shot with the guys in this room, especially [OLB] Khalil [Mack]. Yeah, that’s what it was and winning football games is more important to me right now than making some extra money. I think we have a great opportunity here. Who knows, maybe I’ll have a great year this year and things change down the road. I think if a guy like Khalil is coming off a year with 17 sacks and can take that cut, it shows the kind of guy that he is and the kind of culture we have brewing here. That’s who I want to be with. It was a pretty easy decision.
Bosa added that the addition of Jim Harbaugh was a factor in his mind, noting that he could be the “final piece” the team needs to get over the top. But his history with the organization in “wanting to be there for the moment” was an important piece as well. Later on in the media availability, he went on to say that he would ideally want to finish his career with the Bolts.
Bosa was asked if it felt different in the building throughout this offseason and had this to say:
Yeah, you know it’s not like these last eight years I’ve come in and thought we were going to lose or have a bad year [laughter]. I felt like every year when I tell you things are feeling good and I feel optimistic, it wasn’t a lie. But yeah, I think things are definitely, like I said, trending in the right direction. Everybody is on the details. I’m sure it’s a word that you’ve heard a million times. I think it just feels like Coach [Harbaugh] is leading the team the way it should be led. It has a feel of being back in college with [former Ohio State Head] Coach Urban Meyer. The message is sent from the top and it doesn’t get mixed up as it’s moving down the ladder. It’s, ‘Boom, this is how we’re doing things,’ and everybody is following that. I think it’s impressive, the details that everybody has been on, the effort and just the competitiveness that has been going on over the last few weeks. It’s been great.
Bosa mentioned his fight to stay healthy and on the field several times throughout the presser. Right now, he says his hamstring and foot are “good.” In perhaps slightly new information, Bosa ended up having offseason surgery on his finger.
He mentioned that his foot sprain against the Packers got worse when he tried to return to practice afterward, resulting in reaggravation and, ultimately, Bosa being shut down for the rest of the season. Asked about Giff Smith, he noted that he wanted to return within those last few weeks for him. It just never made sense with the nature of the injury and the direction of the season.