How Fred Warner has the 49ers defense playing surprisingly well

Fred Warner speaks out on the defense's impact.

Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54) reacts after the game against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner has good reason to be upbeat after the 49ers opened the season with two straight road wins.

Despite being hit hard by injuries during OTAs, training camp, and the opening two games, the 49ers have still managed an impressive 2-0 start.

Warner pleased with rookies' development

Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54) returns to the locker room for halftime against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The 49ers' secondary oversaw many changes in the summer. Most of the 49ers’ draft picks were used to address key positions left vacant by offseason departures.

Mykel Williams already looks right at home in the 49ers' defense. Rookie safety Marques Sigle chipped in with five tackles, while Upton Stut notched his first sack in red and gold. And although not a rookie, Warner's confidante, Dee Winters, continued to perform well.

"It's huge. I can't express how big last week's win was to get us going to be 1-0 in the division and on the road to start the year with a lot of young guys," Warner told the media post-game about the 49ers' winning start.

"We knew we had a huge test ahead of us this week, especially with some guys down on the offensive side, but that didn't change our preparation in any way.

"It's just an understanding you have to pack your defense on the road. There was so much to clean up today, I was frustrated to let up six in those moments, long drives we should have been off the field, but we love to clean it up after a win."

Trent Williams credits Warner for changing the game

Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) dances before player introductions against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

While the growth of the rookies is already noticeable, credit also goes to Warner for delivering yet another outstanding performance.

In the third quarter, he forced a fumble by punching the ball out of Alvin Kamara’s hands and recovered it himself. The regaining of possession allowed the 49ers back in after head coach Kyle Shanahan challenged the play.

“Time just kind of slowed down and I was able to punch it out,” Warner shared. “And I knew for a fact that he was still up. I did not tell Kyle. He makes decisions, but I knew for a fact they didn’t show it on the big screen for a reason.”

Fellow team leader Trent Williams was the first to heap praise, stating, “It was a huge shift, probably the biggest in the game. He literally just said it before he went out, ‘We got to go get the ball.’ And him being him is always after that ball, and every opportunity he gets, he capitalizes on it. It never gets old though. It’s pretty exciting.”

Warner, as always, proved to be a game-changer. Not just for the secondary, but for the entire organization.