Fred Warner’s injury turns 49ers’ nightmare season even darker

This isn't a medical assessment, but it sure seems like San Francisco 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner's season is over.

Warner, an indestructible player by nearly every means who missed only one game since going pro in 2018, went down late in the first quarter of the Niners' Week 6 road bout against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

For fans who were unfortunate enough to see the replay, it's not the kind of injury a player returns from within a few weeks.

Warner's ankle and foot pointed the wrong way, putting it rather graphically, and the cart came out to pick the defensive standout up, San Francisco's medical team putting on an air cast in the aftermath.

"It sucks losing Fred. We know that," head coach Kyle Shanahan said at halftime.

One can only hope the injury doesn't impact the long term for a player whose trajectory has been nothing short of a Hall of Fame level.

Fred Warner is the latest victim of 49ers' injury curse

The 49ers have long been struck by injury woes, even dating back to former head coach Jim Harbaugh, yet 2025 has been exceptionally cruel.

All-Pro defensive end Nick Bosa suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 3, while seemingly every other star player on both sides of the ball have been banged up at various points over the first five weeks ahead of the Bucs game. Tight end George Kittle has missed every game since Week 1 with a hamstring injury, while quarterback Brock Purdy has played just two games this season because of turf toe.

Warner seemed to be the exception over the years -- a player who never missed time, even willing to play with injuries that'd sideline the toughest of others.

Sadly, that trend was forced to end after what went down at Raymond James Stadium, and one can only hope his recovery goes well.