Fred Warner, 49ers LB, Out with Injury: Impact and Reactions

Fred Warner Suffers Serious Injury: A Hard Blow for the 49ers

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner suffered a fractured and dislocated right ankle during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which will keep him out for the rest of the season. The injury occurred in the first quarter of the match, leaving his teammates in a state of shock. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that Warner will need surgery. “He’s one of our best players, also a great leader, so obviously, it’s a big blow. I feel bad for Fred right now,” Shanahan stated. The injury occurred when Buccaneers running back Rachaad White advanced 10 yards. While trying to stop him, Warner suffered the injury when safety Ji’Ayir Brown’s legs impacted his ankle. Brown and his teammates’ reaction reflected the seriousness of the situation, with players kneeling and the 49ers’ medical staff attending to Warner on the field.

“Seeing him fall, a guy who never falls, you know? It’s exhausting. I think it kind of exhausted the stadium. Everybody felt that.”

Ji’Ayir Brown

Medical staff placed an air boot on Warner’s ankle before moving him to the locker room. Despite the severity of the injury, Warner encouraged his teammates to keep fighting. Left tackle Trent Williams expressed his shock. “Fred is not only one of the best linebackers to have played, but he is the heart and soul of this team, not just the defense. It’s one thing to see someone go down and go to the blue tent, and nobody really knows what’s going on. When you see a guy get hurt like that, it’s like a punch in the gut,” Williams stated. In Warner’s absence, sophomore linebacker Tatum Bethune took over the position in the center of the defense, leading the team in tackles with 10. Shanahan indicated that Bethune will have the first opportunity to replace Warner for the rest of the season. Bethune, selected in the seventh round of the 2024 draft, expressed his readiness to assume the role: “You prepare yourself as a starter for reasons like this. Fred’s injury was unfortunate, but that’s why we are all professionals and have a job to do.” Warner’s message to his teammates before leaving the stadium was clear: there’s still a lot of season left and the Niners can achieve great things, even without him. Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield and Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles also expressed their well wishes to Warner, acknowledging his impact on the game and wishing him a speedy recovery. Warner, the 49ers’ defensive leader since 2018, was on the verge of breaking the franchise’s tackle record, set by the legendary Patrick Willis, before the injury. He needed five tackles to achieve it and already had one at the time of the incident. The situation is complicated for the 49ers, as the defense also faces other significant injuries, including defensive end Nick Bosa, who will miss the season due to a torn ACL. The team will have to face the last 11 games of the season without their two best defenders, in addition to the possible absences of key players such as George Kittle, Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings. Jennings revealed that he has been playing with multiple injuries, including broken ribs and sprained ankles. Shanahan acknowledged the difficulty of losing key players and leaders, but also highlighted the opportunity for other players to step up.