SAN DIEGO -- Even through the strained and sometimes volatile negotiations between the San Diego Chargers' front office and his representation, rookie defensive end Joey Bosa always believed something would get done in time for him to report before the start of the regular season.
Speaking to reporters at Chargers Park for the first time since he signed a four-year deal to join the team, Bosa said he stayed out of the negotiation, letting his agent, Brian Ayrault, and his parents, John and Cheryl Bosa, handle the business side of things.
"I am very relieved," Bosa said. "Like I said before, I knew it was going to get done. I was surprised how long it took. Of course I'd love to be out here with my teammates. But the NFL is a business, and I'm happy that it's over with.
"I really left it mostly to my agents. That's why I trust them. We just wanted what was fair, and what people in my position have gotten over the last five or six years. We came to a fair deal, and there's no animosity between any of us -- me toward them or them toward me. And we're all just looking forward."
Now that Bosa has signed, the Chargers have already said he will not play in the final preseason game on Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers.
Coach Mike McCoy would not say if Bosa will play in the regular-season opener on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Bosa said he's in great shape, and if it were up to him he would be on the field.
The problem is the Chargers have only one padded practice from now until Sept. 11 to get the Ohio State product ready to play.
"I'm obviously a step behind the other guys being this late into the game," Bosa said. "But I trust the coaches, and they obviously have a plan ready for me. I'm not 100 percent sure what that is, but I trust them to get me ready to play whenever I'm ready to play."
Asked about his mother's comments on social media -- Cheryl Bosa wrote "Wish we pulled an Eli Manning on draft day" in response to a Facebook user's note about the Chargers -- Joey acknowledged that she made a mistake.
"What do you expect a mom to do?" Bosa said. "She loves me. She wants what's best for me. And she made a dumb decision like I have before, saying something she shouldn't have said on social media.
"She honestly had no idea it was public. She thought because she was sending it to someone else, leave it to a mom to mess up on Facebook. She just wants what's best for me, and she's happy I'm here. I would never turn down an opportunity to be in this situation."
Because of the backlash on social media, Bosa said he deleted his Instagram and Twitter accounts from his phone. Bosa said some of those comments served as motivation while he was away from the team, training six days a week in Florida to get into game shape.
"Every single day when people were leaving hateful comments on my Instagram or my Twitter, and saying horrible things about my family and my parents and all this stuff about me, I was up early working to help your team win, and my team win," Bosa said. "So I hope you'll support me now, and I'm going to continue to do everything I can to help this team be successful."
Bosa said his teammates have been mostly supportive, with a few of them having gone through the experience before. Bosa said he kept in contact with a handful of teammates during the contract impasses.
Chargers guard Kenny Wiggins said he's pleased Bosa is finally at Chargers Park.
"I'm just happy to have him here," Wiggins said. "I'm glad it's all over and we don't have to hear about it much anymore. Hopefully he can come and help us win.
"You've seen the tape. You've seen him out here. He's definitely a high-motor guy. And he's definitely going to help us."