What Fred Warner Must Do to Join the NFL's All-Time Greats

He's close.

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Fred Warner's ascent to being one of the best linebackers in NFL history took a bit of a backseat in 2025 when he went down in the first game of the year with a season-ending ankle injury. Now that he is back and looks to be healthy in 2026, he is looking to continue to climb the list of all-time greats. With another All-Pro season, he would almost assure himself as a Hall of Famer. 

Fred Warner is Climbing the All-Time Great Rankings With San Francisco 49ers

Warner has made the first-team All-Pro in four seasons. He made it for three straight years before his season-ending injury last year. So, if he can get back to his old ways, he should be a favorite to make his fifth All-Pro team. 

As it currently stands, 17 linebackers have at least four first-team All-Pro honors. Warner is one of four who are not in the Hall of Fame. Bobby Wagner is the only other active player. NaVorro Bowman had four first-team All-Pro honors and is not a Hall of Famer, and while Zach Thomas has been very close, he has not made it yet, despite five first-team All-Pros. 

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There are only 12 linebackers that made first-team All-Pro five times. If Warner gets the honor this year, he would join Thomas, Bobby Bell, Patrick Willis, Chuck Howley, Derrick Brooks, and Luke Kuechly as the only five-time winners. 

Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Bobby Wagner, and Junior Seau all had six All-Pro honors. Meanwhile, Mike Singletary and Ray Lewis had seven first-team All-Pro awards. 

So, Warner is one terrific season away from being considered a near lock for the Hall of Fame. Two more All-Pro seasons would cement his status, and three more All-Pro seasons would have many in the media questioning if he is one of the best linebackers to ever play the game. 

For what it is worth, Warner will be 30 years old this season. Only Lewis, Thomas, and Brooks earned two All-Pro honors after the age of 30. Sean Lee, Mike Vrabel, Thomas Davis, Demario Davis, Hardy Nickerson, Seau, and Wagner all were able to get one more first-team All-Pro under their belts at age 30. 

So, Warner getting back to that elite level at his age is doable for one year. However, it would be much harder for him to sustain that success for three years. He would go down as an all-time great with three more elite seasons, because no one has done that over the age of 30.