Linebacker Fred Warner started every game since the San Francisco 49ers made him a third-round draft pick in 2018. That streak ended this past Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Warner was inactive due to a hamstring strain but is returning this week and will be full-go during Wednesday's practice.
"It sucked [not playing]," Warner admitted to reporters before Wednesday's practice. "I think that's the best way to put it. It was terrible. I pride myself on being available for this team and for the defense, so it sucked being on the sideline, not being able to be out there to help them get the win. But the streak was good while it lasted."
Warner admits that he did do some campaigning last week to try to play against Seattle but understood that "the risk outweighed the reward."
"It was either go out there, risk being out for another four weeks, or take one week off and be back for this week," Warner explained. "So, happy to be back."
Warner never experienced dealing with an injury severe enough to end his playing streak. He called it a "learning situation."
"I think the first step was accepting that, 'Guess what, Fred? It doesn't matter how hard you try to be back for this game [against Seattle], it's just not smart,'" Warner shared. "The hamstring, it takes a certain amount of time for it to actually heal, from an anatomy standpoint.
"So, I think it's just being in great communication with everyone, the trainers, [head of player health & performance] Ben [Peterson], and the coaching staff, and making sure that when there's a plan set in place, that you're just following the plan."
One reporter asked the star linebacker how he feels coming off the hamstring injury.
"One hundred percent," Warner responded with a smile.