Fred Warner is a warrior and a born leader. He was undoubtedly born to be a middle linebacker, the so-called quarterback of the defense.
It is common every week at San Francisco 49ers games to see Warner in the center of the timbac encouraging the defense with his excited words at high volume and with his vigorous gestures.
“Just one word, consistency. The guy is consistent.” That’s how defensive coordinator Steve Wilks described Warner. “He’s the same guy every day. The same way he plays is the same way he practices. He creates a kind of atmosphere at practice that really makes everyone nervous.”
Warner’s aggressive, hard-hitting style is partly what helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl for the second time in four years.
This week of Super Bowl LVIII, Warner spoke at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where his Niners will face the Kansas City Chiefs for glory on Sunday, about how proud he is to be Latino and represent his culture in the NFL.
“My mom is half Mexican; My dad is half Panamanian. Being of that Latin descent means a lot to me. It defines a lot of who I am and how I grew up in different cultures,” said the towering 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker.
For him it was a great honor to have played in Mexico in October 2022 when the 49ers faced the Arizona Cardinals at the Azteca Stadium and won 38-10.
“It’s a great moment, being able to play in Mexico, given my Mexican heritage,” Warner reflected. “They gave me a shirt with my name and number, I think it was Alfredo Gutiérrez. He was the one who got it for me. That was special, entering (the Azteca Stadium) wearing the shirt representing Mexico, and leaving there with a victory, which more important.
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“Playing in Mexico was incredible. The altitude was a little crazy, trying to catch your breath between plays. But playing in front of those fans and in that stadium was incredible. It was unreal. From the moment we stepped on that field. During warmups Until the end, those fans were incredible,” he recalled.
Given the small number of Latinos in the NFL, Warner does not take lightly the responsibility he has as an example to follow.
He is aware of his role within the Latino community. “I get messages from people on social media all the time about how grateful they are that I represent them in the right way. So it means a lot to me.”
“If I can inspire even one kid to look at me and say, ‘I know I can do it if Fred can do it,’ I know I’m making an impact,” adds Warner.
Federico Anthony Warner, 27, is the eldest son of Laura and Fred Warner. He has a brother Troy Warner – a cornerback/safety who was briefly in the NFL and played in the USFL – and a sister Mya.
Warner’s parents divorced when he was little. He and his brothers grew up in San Marcos, California with his mother Laura, whose father was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
From his mother, Warner learned the value of family, the importance of sacrifice, and how to develop a strong work ethic.
We don’t know where this habit in his game came from, but just before every match, Warner watches MMA star Conor McGregor’s Netflix documentary. And after every victory, he celebrates by eating ice cream.
In June 2022, Warner married the love of his life, Sydney Hightower. Now the couple’s first baby is about to be born, a boy. Sydney was recently cleared by her doctors to fly to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl at 35 weeks pregnant.
Warner calls Sydney his “biggest support system.” According to reports, she is the one who chooses Warner’s pre- and post-game outfits, since fashion is very important in the NFL these days.
Last September, the couple launched a podcast called “The Warner House.” On the podcast, they discuss news and topics about the 49ers and the NFL, but also what life is like together off the field.
Fred Warner’s always motivating his bro @troywarner_ ❤️
His story shows the harsh realities of the NFL and why you can never give up ???? pic.twitter.com/IimYBLD4ib
— The Warner House (@TheWarnerHouse_) December 14, 2023
On a recent episode of the show, Fred revealed that he considered his brother Troy, who was his college roommate, a better player than him who simply had bad luck with injuries.
Warner also criticized people who simplify professional sports into two categories, talented athletes and those without talent, without taking into account many other factors that complicate the career of athletes, such as injuries.
Warner has played football since he was seven years old. In high school and college he served as an outside linebacker.
He was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Mormon Church. When he mentioned his football ambitions to a fellow BYU alumnus in his congregation, he helped take Warner’s video to coach Kelly Poppinga, who became his primary recruiter.
In four years at BYU, Warner was a three-year starter. His seven career interceptions at BYU rank second in school history among linebackers.
Fred Warner and his brother Troy Warner played football at BYU. Fred was drafted by the 49ers in 2018. Troy went undrafted in 2021, but ended up on the Rams’ practice squad for one season. Chris Detrick, The Salt Lake Tribune
He was selected by the 49ers in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft. The 49ers signed Warner to a four-year, $3.97 million contract, which included a $1.01 million signing bonus.
Warner started all 16 games during his rookie year. His 124 total tackles finished 12th among all players and third among all rookies in 2018.
In 2021, Warner — who changed his jersey number from 48 to 54 for the 2019 season — signed a record five-year extension with the 49ers worth $95 million, with $40.5 million guaranteed.
Warner has been improving year after year, enhancing San Francisco’s defense. On a personal level, this season has been a dream.
In Week 14, a game played on December 10, he etched his name in the 49ers record books.
Fred Warner #54 of the San Francisco 49ers intercepts a pass during the fourth quarter of the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
With his first tackle against the Seattle Seahawks, which came on Seattle’s first offensive series, the star linebacker reached 100 tackles for the sixth consecutive season. He thus became the first 49ers linebacker to accomplish this feat, surpassing Derek Smith, who did it in five consecutive seasons.
In 2023, Warner was voted to the Pro Bowl Games for the third time, named a starter. However, due to his participation in the Super Bowl, he was replaced by Demario Davis of the New Orleans Saints.
Additionally, Warner was unanimously selected — along with teammate Christian McCaffrey and Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins — to The Associated Press NFL All-Pro team.
He is about to play his second Super Bowl with the Niners and he has a taste of revenge. During Super Bowl LIV against the Chiefs, Warner recorded seven tackles and intercepted a pass thrown by Patrick Mahomes. But the game ended in a 31-20 defeat for San Francisco.
Fred Warner #54 of the San Francisco 49ers leads the defense before the NFL divisional round playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers won 24-21. Michael Owens/Getty Images
Warner will take the field with that work ethic he learned from his mother. And with the great weight that it carries, bring the captain’s patch on his chest.
This is how he put it this week, “My greatest achievement? … Nothing bigger than just being elected captain of my team by my teammates, being one of the ones who leads the team. I think this is my third year as captain, maybe fourth year.
“It’s something that’s really special to me. The fact that it is my teammates who vote for me and I am the one who goes out to lead them. “It means a lot to me,” Warner said.
Warner will be there without fail on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium for Super Bowl LVIII against the Chiefs… in the center of the timbac, encouraging the defense with his excited words at high volume and with his vigorous gestures.
2024-02-10 16:45:00
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