Joey Bosa: Related to Nick Bosa| Brother| Nick Bosa brothers| Contract| Trade| PFF

Introduction

Joey Bosa and Nick Bosa are two of the most recognisable names in the defensive ranks of the NFL today. Their family’s football lineage, their individual successes and their potential to pair up have all become storylines in the sport. In this article we’ll explore:

• Their relationship and family ties

• Joey’s career path and contract history

• Trade rumours around Joey and the chance to join Nick

• His performance as measured by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and other metrics

• What this all means for both brothers and their respective teams

Let’s dive in.

1. Family Ties & “Are Joey and Nick Bosa Brothers?”

Yes — Joey Bosa is indeed the older brother of Nick Bosa. Their family has deep roots in football.

• Their father, John Bosa, was an NFL defensive end drafted in the 1980s.

• Both Joey and Nick attended Ohio State University for their college careers; Joey played from 2013 to 2015, and Nick later.

• The siblings have often spoken about their bond, the motivation of each other, and how having a brother in the league affects one’s career. For example, Nick once said that if he and Joey played together, “it might break the NFL.”

This family dynamic is significant because it adds layers to both players’ careers: legacy, expectations, comparisons. As one blog said:

“Joey and Nick Bosa … are brothers. … they are both professional American football players who play for different teams.”

2. Joey Bosa’s Career Path

Early Years & College

• Joey Bosa was born July 11, 1995, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

• He played high school football at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale.

• At Ohio State, he had an outstanding career. He was a unanimous All-American in 2014, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, among other accolades.

NFL Draft & Early Professional Career

• Joey entered the 2016 NFL Draft and was selected 3rd overall by the Los Angeles Chargers (then San Diego).

• He won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award in his first active season (2016) despite missing early games due to injury.

Recent Moves

• After multiple seasons with the Chargers, including a high-profile contract extension, Joey signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills in March 2025: one year, $12.61 million, with $12 million guaranteed.

• He was released by the Chargers in March 2025, clearing the way for this free-agent move.

Key Career Numbers

• According to Wikipedia: over his regular-season career he logged 362 total tackles, 76 sacks, 21 forced fumbles, and more (as of 2025).

• On PFF, his latest grade: 84.1 overall for 2025, ranking 11th among edge defenders.

3. Contract Details & Financials

Understanding Joey Bosa’s financials helps show how teams view him and why trade/transaction rumours swirl.

• His 2025 deal with the Bills: 1 year, $12.61 million, $12 million guaranteed, plus signing bonus of ~$9 million.

• Previously (with the Chargers): In 2020 he signed a five-year extension around $135 million according to some reports.

• Because of past injuries and large cap hits, the Chargers releasing him was seen by many as a salary cap decision.

From a team perspective, large guaranteed money + age + injury history = higher risk, but also high reward if he can perform at peak. For Joey, these contracts reflect both his proven talent and the physical toll of being a top pass-rusher.

4. Trade Rumours & The Possibility of Playing with Nick

One of the more tantalising storylines: could the Bosa brothers play together?

• Rumours circulated that the 49ers were considering signing Joey to join Nick in San Francisco.

• Articles speculated about a trade from the Chargers to the 49ers. For example:

  “The Los Angeles Chargers are being predicted to trade Joey Bosa to the San Francisco 49ers, where he would join his younger brother, Nick Bosa.”

• In March 2025 coverage:

  “Nick Bosa’s brother is staying in the AFC… Joey is headed to Buffalo.”

• Despite the hype, the move to join his brother did not happen—Joey signed with Buffalo instead.

Why it mattered:
If both brothers were on the same defensive front, it would amplify pass-rush pressure and provide a unique storytelling angle in the NFL: two elite pass-rush siblings on the same roster.

Nick himself once said: “I think him on the other side… it might break the NFL.”

But the business of the NFL – salary caps, contract terms, roster needs – meant that reunion remains unresolved (as of the 2025 season).

5. PFF Grades & Analytical Look at Joey’s Performance

Pro Football Focus (PFF) has become a key tool for evaluating player performance beyond basic stats. Let’s look at what the data say about Joey Bosa.

• In 2025, Joey recorded a PFF grade of 84.1 and ranked 11th among edge defenders.

• In earlier years, he had seasons with double-digit sacks and elite productivity (e.g., 12.5 sacks in 2017).

• A Reddit discussion noted:

  “Joey Bosa is PFF’s top pass rusher among edge defenders after two weeks … 91.5 PFF grade.”
  (While this is an early-season or perhaps smaller sample, it shows how high expectations remain).

• The PFF grade factors not just sacks, but pressures, run-defense, pass-rush wins, etc. That helps contextualise his value even when raw sack numbers decline due to injury or fewer games.

Key takeaway: Even though Joey has had periods of injury and lower volume, his underlying performance metrics suggest he remains one of the better edge rushers in the game when healthy. That’s partly what makes his contract and trade talk so interesting.

6. Joey vs Nick: Comparing the Brothers

While both brothers are elite, their careers have taken different paths. Here’s a comparison:

The comparison helps show that while Joey was first to establish himself in the NFL, Nick has caught up and in some ways surpassed him (at least in terms of accolades). The dynamic is healthy competition with deep familial respect.

7. Why This Matters: Bigger Picture & Team Implications

For Teams

• When a player like Joey Bosa signs a moderately large deal (one year, $12.6 m), it signals a calculated risk: the team (Bills) believes in his upside, despite recent injury history.

• The trade / reunion talk with the 49ers shows how teams evaluate not just talent, but fit, cost, and timing. Matching two high-paid pass-rushers together can strain a cap sheet.

• For the Chargers, releasing Joey was likely a cap-management move given his large cap hit and fewer games played.

For the Players

• Joey: He still has high upside and an ability to impact games; the contract and analytics support that. But he must stay healthy and produce.

• Nick: Playing without his brother may be fine, but if they ever reunite, it would become a major storyline and potentially a strategic advantage.

• Both: Their legacy now includes “two-brother pass-rusher” narrative, which is rare in the NFL.

For Fans & Media

• Storylines like “Will the Bosa brothers play together?” generate interest and coverage.

• The narrative of siblings succeeding in the NFL resonates with audiences — and when both play on different teams in the same league, comparisons are inevitable.

8. Looking Ahead: What to Watch

• Performance in 2025 & beyond: Will Joey maintain an 80+ PFF grade, remain healthy, and contribute significantly?

• Trade or Movement: With one-year deals, there’s always the possibility of signing elsewhere. Will Joey become a mid-season trade target?

• Brother duo reunion: Although the 49ers option didn’t materialise for 2025, could 2026 or beyond see the brothers team up? The comments from Nick suggest both interest and recognition of the challenge.

• Legacy comparison: Over time, how will the careers of Joey and Nick be compared — who had the longer peak? Who had more impact?

• Contract & cap implications: As pass rushers age, teams must balance cost vs. return. Joey’s contract structure (one year, large guarantee) may become a model or cautionary tale.

Conclusion

Joey Bosa’s story is more than just sacks and contracts. It’s deeply entwined with family, legacy, talent and business. As the older brother of Nick Bosa, he carries a unique narrative in the NFL. His move to Buffalo, his analytics via PFF, and the trade speculation all reflect how high his value remains — and how high the expectations are.

For fans of defensive football, and for those interested in how contracts, performance metrics and family tie into the sport, Joey Bosa’s journey is a rich case study. Watching his upcoming seasons will tell us whether this chapter becomes a twilight of talent or a resurgence of peak performance — and whether, someday, we’ll finally see the two Bosa brothers side by side on the same roster.