San Francisco 49ers Star Nick Bosa Gets Romantic Birthday Message From Girlfriend Ella Ailiff

San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa during an NFL game.© X/@Coach_Yac

Nick Bosa had a personal reason to smile on his 29th birthday, even as his return to football remained on hold. The San Francisco 49ers defensive star received a loving tribute from his girlfriend, model Ella Ailiff, who shared intimate pictures of the couple on Instagram on Friday. Her birthday message offered a glimpse into their relationship, which they made public last year. But the day also came with disappointing news for Bosa, as a calf injury kept him from returning to the field against the Atlanta Falcons.

How Ella Ailiff celebrates Nick Bosa's birthday

Ailiff chose a black-and-white photograph of the couple embracing to mark Bosa's birthday. The picture showed the 49ers star holding her around the waist as they stood close together. She added a simple message to the Instagram story: “Happy Birthday my love”.

The birthday wishes did not stop there. Ailiff shared more pictures of the pair, with both showing them holding each other close. Metallic heart symbols accompanied the photos, giving the posts a personal touch without the need for a lengthy caption.

The couple had kept much of their relationship away from the public eye before Bosa offered a clearer look at their romance in November 2025. In a TikTok video, he enjoyed coffee with Ailiff sitting on his lap as they laughed together in the kitchen. He captioned the clip, “Coffee and football Sunday.”

The post came after speculation linked Bosa to country singer Megan Moroney. But Moroney told People that she was not dating anyone at the time. Bosa's video with Ailiff soon made their relationship status clear.

Nick Bosa's birthday came amid another injury setback

While Ailiff celebrated the occasion off the field, Bosa had another week of waiting ahead of him. The defensive end had hoped to return against Atlanta after missing four games with a calf injury, but 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan ruled him out on Friday.

Bosa had previously expressed confidence about returning, saying he would “definitely” play against the Falcons. His recovery did not progress as expected after a workout left him sore the following day.

“I just think he was a little too optimistic,” Shanahan said, explaining why the defender's prediction did not hold up.

Bosa had returned from surgery for a torn ACL to play in San Francisco's first two games of the 2026 season. He strained his calf while warming up before practice on September 24 and had not practiced since.

The 49ers now expect his earliest possible return to come in Week 9, following their bye week.