Particle.news
Download on the App Store
10 ARTICLES
·
1h ago

John Lynch: Fred Warner Is Pushing to Return, but Doctors See Playoff Comeback as Unlikely

Independent estimates suggest a late‑round return grows more plausible the deeper San Francisco advances.

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.
Image
Image
Oct 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54) before the start of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Overview

  • General manager John Lynch said medical guidance views a return as on the wrong side of the range, yet he described Warner as "pushing the limits" and spending hours daily in a hyperbaric chamber.
  • The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, citing orthopedic surgeons and the calendar, estimated Warner’s return odds at 16% for the wild card, 44% for the divisional round, 78% for the conference title game, and extremely high for the Super Bowl.
  • Warner dislocated and fractured his right ankle on Oct. 12 in Week 6 against the Buccaneers, an injury initially characterized as season-ending.
  • Head coach Kyle Shanahan has publicly said he does not expect Warner to be available for the postseason.
  • San Francisco sits at 9-4 entering its bye week, making any potential comeback contingent on both Warner’s rehab progress and how far the 49ers advance in the playoffs.