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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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The San Francisco 49ers beat the defending-champion Philadelphia Eagles, 23–19, in the Wild Card round, a road win that advanced them to face the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks on Saturday at Lumen Field.
Quarterback Brock Purdy managed the offense efficiently, finishing 18-of-31 passing for 262 yards and two touchdowns, as San Francisco relied on defensive depth, notably linebacker Eric Kendricks, to help replace production lost with All-Pro Fred Warner sidelined.
Warner suffered a fractured and dislocated right ankle in the 49ers’ Oct. 12 game at Tampa Bay and underwent surgery shortly thereafter to insert a plate.
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He has been on injured reserve since the injury and only opened his 21-day practice window earlier this week, though the limited practice participation raised hope for a potential return.
Unfortunately, on Thursday, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that Warner will not be activated off injured reserve for Saturday’s Divisional Round matchup in Seattle.
Shanahan added that the team remains hopeful Warner could return later in the playoffs but confirmed he will not be available this weekend.
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Warner (BYU; 2018 third-round pick) is a four-time First-Team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection, widely regarded as the 49ers’ defensive leader since his emergence.
Across his eight-year NFL career, he has totaled 948 tackles, 38 tackles for loss, 30 quarterback hits, 17 forced fumbles, 10 sacks, and 10 interceptions.
He signed a three-year, $63 million contract extension with San Francisco that made him the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL.
However, Warner appeared in just six games during the 2025 season before suffering the ankle injury, recording 51 tackles and two forced fumbles in that span.
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As the defense’s primary communicator and on-field quarterback for the front seven, Warner’s absence forces significant schematic and personnel adjustments.
Kendricks and other rotation linebackers will be asked to handle expanded roles, but San Francisco must game-plan to protect those defenders in coverage and compensate for the elite run-fit instincts Warner typically provides.
Looking ahead to the matchup with Warner sidelined, Seattle enters as the NFC’s top seed and previously beat the 49ers late in the regular season to clinch the NFC West.
The Seahawks are currently listed as seven-point favorites, with the over/under set at 44.5 points.
If the 49ers win in Seattle without Warner, it would validate the coaching staff’s depth planning and “next-man-up” philosophy.
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