Fred Warner Played On A Broken Ankle – And You’d Never Know It
May 25, 2025, 11:52 AM | Updated: May 27, 2025, 10:32 am
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 17: Fred Warner #54 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before playing the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on November 17, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO – Former BYU linebacker Fred Warner played the grittiest season of his career in 2024, and it flew almost entirely under the radar.
Warner played in all 17 games despite suffering a fractured ankle in week four against the New England Patriots.
#49ers All-Pro LB Fred Warner revealed today that he’s been playing through a fractured ankle, an injury he sustained against the Patriots in Week 4. He’s relied on painkiller injections before every game since suffering the fracture. pic.twitter.com/WlW8zx0TfT
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 27, 2024
Warner initially brushed off the injury after the Patriots game, telling reporters, “It takes a lot for me to tap out.”
But the fractured ankle diagnosis didn’t surface until well after midseason, after he had already played in eight more games.
“It takes a lot for me to tap out,” Warner said. “If I could have been out there, I would have been. We’ll see as we get more information on it as we go with scans and all that, but I feel good right now.”
Before the injury, Warner was on a historic tear with 27 tackles (16 solo), one sack, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, and a pick-six in just four games.
2️⃣ GAMES, 3️⃣ FORCED TURNOVERS FOR FRED WARNER 🤯#LocalsInTheNFL #FTTB #BYUFootball #NFL @kslsports pic.twitter.com/A3WzHAKh7c
— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) September 15, 2024
Even with the injury, Warner finished the season with 131 total tackles (76 solo), a sack, four forced fumbles, two picks, and seven pass breakups — good enough to make his fourth Pro Bowl and claim a fourth First-Team All-Pro selection.
In those first four games, Warner had a PFF grade of 95.8, far and away the best LB in the NFL. After the injury? 84.8. Still top-three in his position.
The 49ers rewarded his toughness and production, making him the highest-paid linebacker in NFL history this offseason. Deserved, to say the least.
About Fred Warner
Before his time in the NFL, the San Marcos, California native played at BYU from 2014-17.
During his four seasons in Provo, the linebacker recorded 264 total tackles, 158 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, seven interceptions, 13 pass breakups, and two touchdowns.
Warner was selected by the Niners with the No. 70 overall pick during the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
In 2022, Warner had 130 total tackles, 79 solo tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, and 10 pass breakups in 17 regular season games.
Last year, the All-Pro linebacker posted 132 total tackles, 82 solo tackles, 2.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, four interceptions, and 11 pass breakups.
Let’s dominate 😤 pic.twitter.com/e874uVILR6
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 10, 2024
During his seven seasons in the league, Warner has recorded 766 total tackles, 493 solo tackles, 9 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, eight interceptions, 46 pass breakups, and one touchdown.
During his career in the postseason, Warner has posted 97 total tackles, 64 solo tackles, one forced fumble, two interceptions, and five pass breakups in 12 playoff games.
About #LocalsInTheNFL
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Whether they attended Utah or BYU or grew up in the Beehive State, we keep you caught up with how the locals are performing on the highest stage.
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