The San Francisco 49ers cannot go a week without one of their players dealing with a brutal injury. This week, the team suffered a major loss when star linebacker Fred Warner suffered a horrific leg injury in the first quarter.
Read more: 49ers Star LB Fred Warner Carted off Field With Brutal Injury
Warner appeared to be rolled over and the replay showcased his leg turned in a way that it shouldn’t have been turned. The medical staff came out immediately to check on the defender, and a cart came out soon after.
Warner had his leg placed in an air cast to stabilize it, pointing to a very significant injury. Now, it appears that his injury has been diagnosed, and it is brutal in nature.
Per NFL insider Dianna Russini, Warner suffered a dislocated ankle.
“NEWS: 49ers LB Fred Warner suffered a dislocated right ankle Sunday vs. the Buccaneers, per source. San Francisco’s All-Pro linebacker will meet with doctors to determine how much time he will miss,” Russini said via X.
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If Warner’s injury is confirmed as a dislocated ankle, it is believed that he would miss multiple months. According to The Stone Clinic, it could take 12 weeks or more to completely recover from such an injury.
Doctors will determine the extent of the injury, but signs point to the 49ers being without their defensive leader for the remainder of the regular season. This is just speculation based on the given information.
Warner was on a potential Defensive Player of the Year trajectory, as he already had 50 tackles and two forced fumbles through five games. He also had one tackle in the Buccaneers game before the injury occurred.
The 49ers have been playing with sheer grit through five weeks, as George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, Nick Bosa, Brock Purdy, and more have been out due to injury. Despite the staggering amount of starters out, the team is still 4-1.
A win against the Buccaneers would place the team at 5-1 and back in first place in the NFC West. They may not be able to do so with such a force as Warner out of the lineup.
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