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49ers' Nick Bosa named NFL Rookie of the Year by writers association

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San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa was recognized as the NFL Rookie of the Year, the Pro Football Writers of America announced on Tuesday morning.

Bosa was not just NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He won that, too. But the writers selected him as the best rookie in the league, period.

Raiders running back Josh Jacobs was named as the PFWA's NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who moved into the starting lineup after Kwon Alexander's injury, was named to the first-team all-rookie defense. He joined Devin Bush (Pittsburgh) and Devin White (Tampa Bay) as the linebackers.

Greenlaw made the 49ers' defensive play of the year when he stopped Seattle's Jacob Hollister just inches short of the goal line in Week 17 to preserve the win and enable the 49ers to win the NFC West and clinch homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

Bosa won the award based on his regular-season production, and he carried it over into the playoffs with two sacks against the Minnesota Vikings in a 27-10 victory on Saturday in the divisional round of the playoffs.

“It’s kind of expected now,” 49ers left tackle Joe Staley said of Bosa. “At first, it was kind of shocking about how quickly he adapted to the NFL and was able to make a lot of talented tackles look silly, myself included.

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“But, now, it’s just what he is, and it’s expected. It’s who he’s been his whole life. I don’t think it’s turned up for a playoff game, it’s just what he does. He goes out there and dominates, so I expect him to do the same next week.”

The 49ers will play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium.

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Bosa is the first defensive player to win the PFWA award since an overall rookie of the year was re-implemented in 2013. He is the fifth 49ers player to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, joining cornerback Bruce Taylor (1970), defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield (1993), linebacker Patrick Willis (2007) and edge rusher Aldon Smith (2011).

Bosa’s brother, Joey Bosa of the Los Angeles Chargers, won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016.

Nick Bosa, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, started 14 of the 16 games in which he appeared this season. He registered 47 tackles and nine sacks with an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

He left an imprint on games even when he was not compiling statistics. Bosa ranked sixth in the NFL among edge defenders with a 49ers-best 80 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

Programming note: NBC Sports Bay Area feeds your hunger for 49ers playoff coverage with special editions of “49ers Central” all week (6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 8 p.m. Wednesday and Friday)

Also tune in at 2:30 p.m. Sunday for “49ers Pregame Live,” with Laura Britt, Jeff Garcia, Donte Whitner, Ian Williams and Grant Liffmann previewing the NFC Championship Game against the Packers. That same crew will have all the postgame reaction on “49ers Postgame Live,” starting at approximately 5:30 p.m.

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