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Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In search of a spark to end a disappointing two-game losing streak, the San Francisco 49ers got exactly what they needed from the person they most expected to provide it Sunday afternoon.
With the Niners clinging to an early six-point lead, linebacker Fred Warner made a highlight-reel interception, rose to his feet and raced 45 yards for a touchdown. The pick-6 all but put the New England Patriots away as the Niners cruised to a 30-13 victory that wiped away the bitter taste of consecutive losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams.
“He jumped like 10 feet in the air,” cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said. “That was crazy. … Fred Warner for DPOY.”
While Warner’s play was the jump-start the Niners needed to get back to 2-2 on the season with key NFC West divisional games against the Arizona Cardinals and at the Seattle Seahawks in the next two weeks, it also didn’t come without a cost. For a banged-up 49ers team, nothing much does these days.
In this case, it was the always durable Warner who wasn’t able to make it through the game unscathed. Warner headed to the locker room on New England’s final drive of the first half with an apparent ankle injury. At the start of the third quarter, Warner had his helmet on and was seen running on the sideline in an attempt to get back in the game. However, he missed the second half and is slated for further testing on his ankle.
“It was all based off of feel,” Warner said. “Like I said, it’d take a lot for me to tap out, so I mean if I could have been out there, I would’ve been. We’ll get more information as we go with scans and all that, but I feel good right now.”
In the Niners’ expansive universe of star power, it would be difficult to argue that anyone other than Warner has been their best player through the season’s first four weeks. His three forced fumbles lead the NFL, and his two interceptions are tied for second most in the league. Warner’s interception Sunday was the 10th of his career, making him just the second Niner (alongside Keena Turner) to have 10 picks and 10 sacks in a career. It was also the second pick-6 of his career, though it might top his list of jaw-dropping plays.
With 14:15 left in the second quarter, Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett dropped back to throw on third-and-5. Brissett scanned to his left and fired a pass intended for receiver Tyquan Thornton. The throw looked to be too high and too hard for Warner to come down with but he climbed the ladder and snatched it out of the air. He then rose to his feet and raced down the right sideline before diving into the end zone.
“He’s pretty good, isn’t he?” tight end George Kittle said. “Goodness gracious. I was actually frustrated at first because he had as many points as the Niners offense did to start the game. … That was an amazing play.”
Part of Warner’s ascension in the ranks of the league’s best players has been his durability. Since entering the league in 2018, he’s missed just one game — a 2021 regular-season game at Seattle — because of injury. He’s only even appeared on the injury report in five weeks out of his entire career, according to ESPN Research.
With Warner on the field Sunday, the Niners allowed zero points and held the Patriots to 82 yards and 3 yards per play. Warner played 27 snaps and had seven tackles, as well as the pick-6, before exiting. While the defense held up well after Warner’s departure, those numbers dropped to 13 points, 134 yards and 3.8 yards per play on 35 snaps. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles replaced Warner and made four tackles with rookie Tatum Bethune getting a trio of snaps to close out the game.
All of which is to say the Niners are well aware of how important Warner is to their success.
“He’s always played at the highest of levels,” end Nick Bosa said. “Sometimes things come your way in a game and he’s taken advantage of all those opportunities. So, obviously his stats are crazy right now and I don’t see it slowing down.”
Coming out of Sunday’s game, the Niners are hopeful that Warner will be OK and back on the field sooner than later. With three first-team All Pro and three Pro Bowl nods already under his belt, it would seem difficult for Warner to be even better in his age 27 season. But teammates and coaches insist that that’s happening so far in 2024, with coach Kyle Shanahan noting that it’s “kind of hard to say that when he’s been so good every year” but adding that “the way he’s started out this year, it’s been a big-time year for him so far.”
If it’s to be a big-time year for the defending NFC champion 49ers, they’ll need to build on the get-right game the Patriots provided Sunday. Injuries have ravaged the Niners through the season’s first month with top players such as running backs Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell, receiver Deebo Samuel, Kittle, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw missing games because of injuries suffered either this season or last.
Those ailments have contributed to a slower than expected start, culminating in last week’s loss to the Rams that left a sour taste in San Francisco. Still, Bosa insisted that there’s no panic for a team that can rely on players like Warner to deliver when needed.
“It feels good to get a win,” Bosa said. “It’s such a long year. If you looked from an outsider’s perspective or looked online, you’d think the building’s burning down. But I told the D-line guys in our meeting last night that we’ve lost some guys, but I haven’t lost confidence in this group one bit and that’s the truth. I think we’re going to be just fine.”