49ers star Fred Warner returns to practice field
San Francisco 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner made his long-awaited return to the practice field this week, but his return to the lineup will have to wait.
Although Warner didn’t rule out possibly playing on Saturday night in the Divisional Round playoff matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, the 49ers are choosing to stay true to their original plan of perhaps activating him for the NFC Championship Game if they advance.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that notion after Thursday’s practice.
“We feel confident in that,” Shanahan said via ESPN. “We’ll see if it works out.”
Warner is less than three months removed from suffering a fractured and dislocated right ankle that required surgery that occurred on Oct. 12 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The injury he is making his way back from is one that typically requires at least three to six months, with it being more toward the latter end for an athlete to return to action. Although he’s moving quite quickly through the recovery process, the 49ers have been cautious, stating that he still needs to hit other benchmarks before being cleared to play.
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That said, Warner is showcasing every reason for him to have the chance to play again this season after suffering an injury that typically eliminates any possibility of taking the field in such a short time span. He continues to prove that he may be the exception to the rule.
Ultimately, this all hinges on the 49ers being able to move past the top-seeded Seahawks on the road on Saturday.
