San Francisco is hopeful that their defensive leader, Fred Warner, can return for their 2026 playoff run.
With one week left in the regular season, the NFC race is as crowded as it has been all year. Seattle leads the way at 12-3, but Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco are all right on their heels with matching 11-4 records.
The 49ers know they’re headed to the postseason regardless of how things shake out.
Now, attention has shifted to a far bigger question: could Fred Warner somehow make it back in time to help them chase a Super Bowl?
When Warner went down on October 12 and required surgery, the outlook was grim.
He had appeared in only six games, and the injury was widely viewed as season-ending.
Even playoff football seemed out of reach, but Warner never accepted that narrative, and neither have the 49ers.
General Manager John Lynch offered a revealing update on Friday that hinted at a door slowly opening.
According to Lynch, Warner has attacked his rehabilitation with uncommon intensity, repeatedly surpassing benchmarks laid out by doctors.
While a return would still be ahead of the original timeline, Warner’s progress has been sufficient to prompt medical staff to take a second look.
Lynch has been careful not to make any promises, but his comments carried genuine optimism.
Warner’s ability to push limits, while still respecting objective medical standards, has given the organization reason to believe the impossible may not be so far-fetched.
If San Francisco earns the NFC’s top seed and secures a first-round bye, that added recovery time could be pivotal.
The playoffs begin January 10, precisely 90 days after Warner suffered his injury in a loss to Tampa Bay that dropped the 49ers to 4-2.
Since then, San Francisco has rebounded impressively, winning seven of its last nine games and reestablishing itself as a legitimate title contender.
In Warner’s absence, rookie linebacker Tatum Bethune has been asked to fill an enormous void.
A seventh-round pick in 2024, Bethune was primarily a special teams player before being thrust into the middle of the defense.
Over 12 games, including six starts, he has compiled 76 tackles and two pass breakups. His performance has been steady and commendable, earning a respectable Pro Football Focus ranking among qualifying linebackers. Still, even solid production can’t fully replicate the impact of one of the league’s most dominant defenders.
Warner remains PFF’s top-ranked linebacker, looking ahead to 2025, underscoring just how valuable his presence would be in January.
While nothing is guaranteed, the mere possibility of his return has energized the organization.
If Warner can suit up during the playoffs, he could provide a transformational boost to a team aiming for its third Super Bowl appearance of his career, and this time, the league’s biggest game would be played on San Francisco’s home turf at Levi’s Stadium on February 8.