San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner recently revealed that he has been playing through a bone fracture in his ankle, shedding light on why his performance has dipped compared to his strong start to the season.
Warner explained that continuing to play has hindered the injury's healing process, leading to discomfort during each game.
"It's not an excuse. It's just what it is," Warner said on November 27. "That's the NFL. You're not going to be healthy. You've got to go out there. You've got to find ways to execute, to play at a high level, and to win every single week."
Speaking to reporters before Wednesday's practice, Warner addressed the 49ers' upcoming Week 14 matchup against the Chicago Bears. While San Francisco's playoff hopes appear slim, Warner left no doubt about his commitment to staying on the football field with his teammates.
"Yes, I am intentful on finishing out the year," he declared.
Despite battling his own injury, Warner maintains high expectations for himself and his teammates. Whether a starter or a backup, he demands maximum effort on the field.
"The injuries haven't gone our way, especially at specific positions, key starters, ones that have a big effect on the game," Warner shared. "But at the end of the day, it's the NFL. A lot of teams are dealing with worse than what we're dealing with.
"So, I'm just always trying to look to find a way to win a game with who we've got out there. At the end of the day, we've got 11 NFL players on our side of the ball, so we gotta go."
This season, Warner has recorded 88 tackles, three tackles for a loss, two quarterback hits, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), a sack, six passes defensed, and four forced fumbles.
The 49ers, currently focused solely on the Bears, are steering clear of distractions about the remaining schedule or their diminishing playoff chances.
"You have everything ahead of you to just win one game," Warner said. "We're not looking ahead at anything else—of five games left, of playoff hopes, of anything. It's honestly like, 'Hey, let's just get back to winning a football game.' Or even giving ourselves a chance to win a game because being in two blowout losses is the worst feeling in the world."