The San Francisco 49ers may not have seen the last of Fred Warner this season. Despite suffering a dislocated and fractured right ankle in Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, at least one 49ers coach believes the star linebacker could be eyeing a postseason comeback. Warner underwent surgery on Tuesday.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters this week that Warner's recovery window is expected to be roughly three months. That points to January—fueling speculation among fans about a possible playoff return. While Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have downplayed the chances, they haven't completely ruled it out either.


Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh acknowledged the possibility, calling Warner's mindset a key factor.

"He's a Hall of Famer, first ballot, period," Saleh said on Thursday. "And he still has so many more years left in the tank. And for this season to end the way it did, it's shameful, but at the same time, we all know Fred. He's probably gunning to see if he can make it back for a playoff run.

"He's in great spirits, surgery went great. He's going to be around the building, I'm sure, the entire time, but I hurt more for Fred than anything else."

For now, the 49ers defense must press forward without their leader in the middle. Second-year linebacker Tatum Bethune will step into Warner's role, tasked with keeping the defense steady during this critical stretch.

"Fred's special," Saleh added. "And like I said, it's unfortunate, but it's someone else's time. And it's their opportunity, and really looking forward to seeing all these guys grow in their in their roles."

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