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2h ago

Doctors Doubt Fred Warner's Return as 49ers Let Him Rehab Toward Playoffs

Team doctors consider a postseason return unlikely, so the 49ers will let Warner prepare as if possible under medical control.

San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner runs to the locker room after pregame warmups before an NFL football game Sunday, Oct 12, 2025, in Tampa, Fla.
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Overview

  • General manager John Lynch said medical guidance puts a comeback on the "wrong side of the range," though Warner is being allowed to train toward a potential return.
  • Warner is pushing aggressively in rehab, spending two to three hours daily in a hyperbaric chamber and telling Lynch he believes he can play before the postseason ends.
  • Orthopedic surgeons told The Athletic that roughly 16 weeks is a normal timeline for this injury, making the wild-card round about 13 weeks post-injury and a long shot.
  • Matt Barrows’ estimates, framed as projections, put Warner’s odds at 16% for the wild-card round, 44% for the divisional round and 78% for the NFC title game.
  • Warner injured and fractured his right ankle on October 12 and had surgery the next day; the 9-4 49ers have felt his absence and have contingency options such as Tatum Bethune and recent practice-squad addition Eric Kendricks.