Hall of Famer Warner having Hall of Fame season, Shanahan says originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Kyle Shanahan believes Fred Warner is playing the best football of his career with the 49ers at the start of the 2024 NFL season.
Speaking to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Greg Papa on “49ers Game Plan,” Shanahan spoke about the All-Pro linebacker’s performance.
“It’s weird for me to say, but I would say yes,” Shanahan told Papa when asked if Warner is playing the best football of his career. “And the only reason it’s weird is because he’s played at a very high level for so many years. I think it was the year after our Super Bowl year (2019), I think it was (the 2020 NFL season) that he got the new contract and he was one of the highest paid players in the league.
“And you thought he couldn’t do any better at the time, and Fred had a better year the next year and he’s gotten better every year since. Just the way Fred works, the way he does it in the offseason, the way he practices every day, he’s second to none in that aspect and that’s led him to be second to none on the field as well.”
Although the 2024 season is still very young, Warner had two incredible games, with an interception and three forced fumbles. Shanahan noted that the 27-year-old’s ball-strike skills are elite, even in practice.
“What he does with ripping the ball, it drives our offense crazy all offseason,” Shanahan told Papa. “Everybody has bruises all over him because he’s always trying to hit people, everybody’s trying to emulate him. The calluses on his knuckles from hitting so much. He’s elite at it, and he does it better than anybody and we’re all watching a great Hall of Fame player have a Hall of Fame year right now.”
Warner’s strong start to the season has been a boon to San Francisco’s defense, even though the unit has struggled so far this season. After dominating the New York Jets in a Week 1 win, The Defense of San Francisco was shredded by former quarterback Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings in a Week 2 loss.
With many offensive stars out due to injuries, the defense will have to continue to set the tone as the 49ers head into an NFC West showdown with the Los Angeles Rams. All-Pro Safety Talanoa Hufanga is set to make his season debut as the unit looks to antagonize quarterback Matthew Stafford, who will be without his two best receivers.
As usual, search Warner will be a key factor on defense, and don’t be surprised to see him kick a ball or two.
