Fred Warner Suffers Ankle Injury: Concern for the 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have suffered a significant loss due to the injury of their star linebacker, Fred Warner, who left the field in the first quarter of Sunday’s game due to a right ankle injury.
The situation forced the 49ers to rule out Warner’s return to the game almost immediately, after he was taken to the locker room on a cart.
The injury occurred with just under eight minutes left in the first quarter. During a first-and-ten play on Tampa Bay’s 36-yard line, running back Rachaad White advanced ten yards on the left side. In the tackle attempt, Niners safety Ji’Ayir Brown impacted Warner’s right ankle.Brown reacted quickly, aware of the severity of Warner’s injury, while his teammates showed concern. Within minutes, a cart entered the field to transport Warner, whose ankle was immobilized with an air splint.
This injury adds to a growing list of setbacks for the 49ers. Previously, the team lost defensive end Nick Bosa due to a torn ACL in week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals, and has had to play without tight end George Kittle (hamstring), quarterback Brock Purdy (toe), and receivers Ricky Pearsall (knee), Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs, shoulder) for parts or all of the season.
Warner, San Francisco’s defensive leader since 2018, was close to breaking the franchise record for tackles, set by Hall of Fame linebacker Patrick Willis, before the injury. He needed five tackles to achieve it.
Tatum Bethune, selected in the seventh round of 2024, replaced Warner in the middle linebacker position.
