The 49ers and Seahawks have had the defining rivalry of the decade in the NFC West, if not the conference -- or even the NFL -- at large. While the latest iteration doesn't involve many of the key players that helped establish the rivalry, the memories of its origins are still fresh in the minds of those participating in the winner-take-all battle for the division on Sunday.

49ers' rookie edge rusher Nick Bosa is a new addition to the conflict, with only the Week 10 clash -- won by Seattle 27-24 in overtime -- under his belt. But long before he was taking the field for the 49ers against the Seahawks, he was aligned on the same side.

A few days before his next encounter with Seattle, Bosa told The Athletic's David Lombardi that he was a bit of a "Seahawk hater" as a teenager.

I asked Nick Bosa, who was 15-16 years old when 49ers and Seahawks went toe-to-toe, about his perception of rivalry:



"I was definitely cheering for the Niners. I think I kinda was a Seahawk hater for some reason, I don’t know why, maybe the arrogance of the Legion of Boom…" — David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) December 26, 2019

Bosa already has had a tremendous rookie season, and comments like that certainly won't hurt when it comes to winning over 49ers fans. As for some of his teammates, though, well, this could get a little awkward. After all, Richard Sherman was the poster child for Seattle's now-defunct "Legion of Boom" and perhaps most responsible for their "arrogance."

Not to worry, though. Having gotten to know Sherman on a personal level, Bosa is a big fan of the most prominent player to have experienced both sides of the rivalry.

“… But obviously, things have changed. Sherm’s on our team now. Just funny how you form an opinion as a fan and then you actually meet people and it’s completely different.”



And there you have it. 22-year-old Nick Bosa summed the wild decade of 49ers-Seahawks very well. — David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) December 26, 2019

Chances are most 49ers fans can relate to Bosa's change of opinion regarding Sherman, as the man who famously ate a turkey leg on their home field is about to complete a Pro-Bowl season for San Francisco.

[RELATED: Sherman still has 'bad blood' for ex-49ers coach Harbaugh]

Don't expect them to think more highly of the Seahawks, though, nor vice versa. The years pass and the rosters evolve, but in this rivalry, some things never change.