What could have been.
San Francisco 49ers fans were left wondering how far the team might have gone had it beaten the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round and advanced to the NFC Championship Game. Head coach Kyle Shanahan repeatedly acknowledged that linebacker Fred Warner's return was a real possibility if the 49ers advanced far enough in the postseason.
San Francisco even opened Warner's practice window ahead of the Seahawks game, fueling speculation that the All-Pro could have made a remarkable late-season comeback.
Warner had been sidelined since suffering a dislocated and fractured right ankle on October 12, 2025, an injury that derailed what had been another elite season for the veteran linebacker.
Appearing recently on the St. Brown Podcast, hosted by Amon-Ra St. Brown and his brother Equanimeous St. Brown, Warner confirmed that he was fully prepared to return had the 49ers reached the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams.
"I would have been out there, NFC Championship, putting belt to the Rams," Warner said. "But that's all for next year. We'll never know what that would have looked like."
While some believed Warner might have been close to playing against Seattle, he logged just one full practice that week—his first on-field work in nearly three months. Even so, his comments suggest a return for the NFC Championship Game was legitimately on the table.
The encouraging news for the 49ers is that Warner will not require any additional procedures this offseason. He can now follow a more measured recovery plan to ensure he is fully ready for training camp and the 2026 NFL season.
Warner also recently reflected on the frustration of missing most of the year after the injury.
"I feel like this year was taken away from me," Warner said last week. "I didn't get to help my team accomplish what we set out to do, and it truly feels like something was taken from me.
"But I did gain so much in terms of what I did learn, and just overall, as a human being, and taking away what did happen to me, and growing from that. And so, I'll obviously take all that with me going forward."