San Francisco 49ers fans, I bet you didn’t see this news coming: according to President of Football Operations John Lynch, star linebacker Fred Warner may be eyeing a return to the field for the NFL playoffs.
It’s a shocking turn of events considering the gruesome injury Warner sustained in early October. Lynch claimed that Warner is excelling in his rehab and that the team is re-examining a potential playoff comeback.
Warner suffered the freak injury when his teammate rolled over his ankle while making a tackle, leaving Warner on the ground with his ankle bent completely sideways. Warner suffered a dislocated and fractured right ankle that required surgery.
“It wasnât agonizing pain,” Warner said following the injury back in October. “It was like a thumping feeling. But the thing I remember most vividly was this uncomfortable feeling — one because your foot is in the wrong direction, but then two, the shrieking thatâs going on around you.”
He was thought to be lost for the season, but this most recent update has provided hope that he may play football again this year.
Depending on when he would return, it would be only a three month recovery from what looked like a debilitating injury. Warner was held without a sack or an interception in the six games before his injury, though he did force two fumbles and make 51 tackles.
Warner Eyeing Playoff Return for 49ers
The four time First Team All-Pro has consistently been a stalwart member of some great San Francisco defenses in his eight NFL seasons. Warner has made over 100 tackles in every season of his career besides this season, though he was well on pace to break that before his injury with 51 in six games. He has 10 interceptions and 10 sacks in his career and is a true disruptor in every aspect of the game.
Though the Niners defense has been solid this season, Warner’s absence has shown in both the pass and rushing defense. San Francisco has the fewest sacks of any NFL teams this season with 18, and the second fewest interceptions with just six.
Warner’s potential return would be a massive boost for the Niners defense in every aspect as they look to go on another deep playoff run in a tough NFC.
Niners Clinched Playoff Spot, Still Battling For Positioning
San Francisco sits at 11-4 heading into week 17, currently in the top wild card spot above the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers.
Although the Seahawks and Rams have commanded most of the attention in the NFC West this season, the 49ers have quietly hung around, and can now clinch the No. 1 seed in the conference with a little bit of help.
Here’s the scenario: if the Niners beat the Chicago Bears this weekend and the Seahawks lose to the Carolina Panthers, week 18’s battle between San Fran and Seattle will determine the winner of the NFC West and the No. 1 seed in the conference. If this happens, the Niners and Seahawks would have the same record, but San Francisco would own the tiebreaker with the season sweep over Seattle.
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