San Francisco 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner has been his usual dominant self in 2024, so much so that most fans probably haven’t realized that he’s been suiting up and playing through a painful injury for much of the season.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Warner revealed that he’s been battling through a fractured bone in his ankle that he sustained when the 49ers played the New England Patriots back in Week 4 on Sept. 29. So, Warner has been pushing through the discomfort for two months without missing a single game.
Warner elaborated on the injury during his media address, suggesting that playing through such a serious injury is just the nature of the business of the NFL.
“It’s something I deal with before every game. I get on that table before every game and get shot up every single game just to be able to roll. It’s not an excuse. That’s the NFL. You’re not gonna be healthy,” Warner told reporters, via David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. “It was a fracture when I sprained it. Anytime you fracture a bone, if you continue to play on it, the bone’s not going to be able to heal itself. So you’ve just got to be able to fight through.”
Despite the fractured bone in his ankle, Warner has maintained his All-Pro caliber play through the first 12 weeks of the season. He has 84 tackles, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, two interceptions, six pass defenses and a league-high four forced fumbles.
He figures to take up his usual spot in San Francisco’s defense in Week 13 when they take on the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 1, not making any excuses for himself despite the brutal nature of his injury.
