Two ways exist to look at the Fred Warner situation ahead of the San Francisco 49ers showdown on Saturday in the Divisional Round against the Seattle Seahawks. One is that he has made a miraculous recovery from a broken ankle suffered in Week 6. The other might be more realistic.
Warner was expected to be out for at least the rest of the season after getting hurt, and his offseason was in question, too. Instead, he might be on the verge of returning against Seattle. He hopes so anyway, and said as much on DraftKings' Ryen Russillo Show this week. Whether he comes back or not might simply be up to his team.
That is where the second part comes in. The 49ers are better with Fred Warner, as he is arguably the best linebacker in the NFL. But does San Francisco want to risk Warner to further injury if he has come back too fast? Potentially, there is no way of knowing until he actually plays.
49ers linebacker Fred Warner could be close to returning against the Seattle Seahawks
Warner told Russillo, "I'm ready whenever they're ready. There's some Ts that've got to be crossed, Is that have to be dotted. Unfortunately, if it were just up to me, I'd be out there (against Philadelphia). But unfortunately, it's not that way. I've got to be sure I'm checking all the boxes and everybody has to give me the OK."
As much as the 49ers might want the linebacker to play, the team might be playing the long game, and that might be the smartest way. San Francisco has opened Warner's 21-day window for return, but that doesn't mean he will return, especially against the Seahawks. The linebacker was listed as limited in the 49ers' first practice ahead of the Divisional Round.
Warner might even be a full participant in practice before Saturday, but that still doesn't mean he will play. The team simply needs to be careful not to have the 29-year-old return in hopes of beating the Seahawks, only to have him get hurt and the injury affect his 2026 season and beyond.
Of course, should the San Francisco 49ers sneak by the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, Fred Warner might very well play in the NFC Championship. Let's hope Seattle makes that kind of thinking meaningless. Instead, let's hope that Warner is not a worry until next season, and enjoys his offseason beginning as soon as Sunday.
Update: According to The Athletic's Matt Barrows, Warner will not play versus the Seahawks. The team has yet to rule him out officially, however.)