How Eric Kendricks’ patience led him to right place at right time with 49ers

SANTA CLARA — On the afternoon of Oct. 12, 2025, Eric Kendricks had just turned the channel from the 49ers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers game when his phone was flooded with text messages from friends. The linebacker, who underwent offseason shoulder surgery and had yet to sign with a team, learned that Fred Warner had sustained a horrific ankle injury in the Week 6 game. “It was other people trying to tell me what happened,” Kendricks said. “It was super unfortunate, a freak accident. He’s one of the guys that’s super tough and has never missed any games.”Kendricks thought back to the 2024 offseason, when he turned down an offer to sign with the 49ers and instead chose to join the Dallas Cowboys. The linebacker now wanted to revisit his options.“When I saw how it went down, it was kind of messed up,” Kendricks said. “But ultimately, it was me looking at teams across the league and where I wanted to be. Obviously there was some interest there as far as coming in and helping out if I could.”  It wasn’t until Nov. 26 that Kendricks actually signed with the 49ers’ practice squad, with the...