Fred Warner Bio
Federico Anthony “Fred” Warner (born November 19, 1996) is an American professional football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Brigham Young University (BYU) Cougars and was selected by the 49ers in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft. Warner has earned multiple Pro Bowl selections and First-team All-Pro honors, establishing himself as one of the league’s premier defensive players. Beyond the field, he is recognized for his leadership and active participation in community service initiatives across the Bay Area.
Early Life and Background
Warner was born on November 19, 1996, in San Marcos, California, to Laura and Fred Warner, the eldest of two sons and one daughter. He is half Mexican American from his mother’s side and half African American and Panamanian from his father’s side. His parents separated when he was a toddler, and his mother raised him and his siblings as a single parent. After experimenting with different sports, Warner began playing football at the age of seven, which both he and his mother have credited with giving him a sense of community during his teenage years. Though he admired several San Diego Chargers players, he grew up as a fan of the Dallas Cowboys alongside his father.
At Mission Hills High School in San Marcos, Warner played linebacker for the football team and became a starter during his junior year. He was recognized for his strengths as an outside linebacker and was named the All-San Diego Section Defensive Player of the Year. Warner was also selected to the All-California First-team by USA Today and the Cal-Hi Sports All-State First-team, and he earned Avocado East League Defensive Player of the Year honors. Raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Warner mentioned his football ambitions to a fellow congregation member who was a Brigham Young University (BYU) alumnus, helping to get his highlight reel to lead recruiter Kelly Poppinga.
Path to American Football
Warner joined the BYU Cougars as a true freshman and quickly developed into one of the team’s most productive defenders. He registered 24 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception returned for a touchdown, and one pass breakup in his first season. As a sophomore, he stepped into a full-time starting role and recorded 67 total tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, and four fumble recoveries. His junior season brought 86 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles, while his senior year saw him named team captain as he led the squad with 87 total tackles.
Across four college seasons, Warner was a three-year starter and posted 264 total tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, seven interceptions, and 13 pass breakups. His seven career interceptions rank second in BYU history among linebackers, tied with Kyle Van Noy. On November 20, 2017, he accepted an invitation to the 2018 Senior Bowl, where he impressed scouts with six combined tackles and strong overall performance during the week of practice. He then completed all drills at the NFL Scouting Combine, finishing among the top linebacker performers in the 40-yard dash, bench press, short shuttle, and three-cone drill, before being projected as a second-round pick.
Fred Warner Career
Early Career (2018)
The San Francisco 49ers selected Warner in the third round with the 70th overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft, making him the ninth linebacker taken that year. On June 13, 2018, he signed a four-year, $3.97 million contract that included a signing bonus of $1.01 million. After competing with Brock Coyle during training camp, head coach Kyle Shanahan named Warner the starting middle linebacker to begin the season.
Warner made his NFL debut and first career start in the season-opener against the Minnesota Vikings, recording 12 combined tackles, one pass defended, and one forced fumble during a 24–16 road loss. He started all 16 games of his rookie campaign and finished with 124 combined tackles, six pass deflections, and one forced fumble. His 124 tackles ranked 12th in the NFL and third among all rookies in 2018, providing an immediate foundation for his professional career.
NFL Breakthrough (2019)
Warner switched his jersey number from 48 to 54 ahead of the 2019 season. During a Week 10 Monday Night Football game against the Seattle Seahawks, he recorded a team-high 10 tackles, two sacks of Russell Wilson, and forced a fumble that DeForest Buckner recovered for a touchdown. Two weeks later, he posted 11 tackles and a strip-sack of Aaron Rodgers in a 37–8 victory over the Green Bay Packers, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors and later NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November.
In Week 16 against the Los Angeles Rams, Warner intercepted Jared Goff and returned the ball 46 yards for his first NFL touchdown in a 34–31 victory. He then recorded seven tackles and an interception of Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIV, a 31–20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Warner finished the season ranked 70th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020, validating his emergence as a top NFL linebacker.
San Francisco 49ers Era (2020–Present)
Warner earned his first Pro Bowl selection and first Associated Press First-team All-Pro honor following the 2020 season, in which he recorded 125 total tackles, two interceptions, and one sack. On July 21, 2021, he signed a record-breaking five-year extension worth $95 million, with $40.5 million guaranteed. During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, he continued to anchor the 49ers defense, earning Pro Bowl and First-team All-Pro selections each year while surpassing 130 tackles annually and adding multiple interceptions and forced fumbles.
On May 22, 2025, Warner signed a three-year, $63 million contract extension that made him the highest paid linebacker in the NFL. The deal runs through the 2028 season. He continued to be a central figure of the 49ers defense, posting a forced fumble in the season opener against the New York Jets and earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 2 with 11 tackles, one tackle for loss, and a forced fumble and recovery in a 26–21 win over the New Orleans Saints. Unfortunately, in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Warner suffered a dislocated and broken ankle that required season-ending surgery.
Driving Style and Strengths
Warner is recognized for his exceptional sideline-to-sideline speed, instincts in coverage, and tackling reliability against both the run and pass. His ability to rush the passer, track ball carriers, and defend tight ends and running backs in space has made him a versatile three-down linebacker. Pairing physical tools with high football intelligence, he has served as the defensive signal-caller for the 49ers and a consistent leader in the locker room.
Notable Events and Milestones
In 2024, Warner became the first player in 49ers franchise history to record 10 or more sacks and 10 or more interceptions in his career, reaching the milestone with a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown against the New England Patriots. He has earned First-team All-Pro honors four times and Pro Bowl selections in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. His consistent presence in the postseason, including Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LVIII, underscores his role as a foundational piece of the 49ers defense.
Fred Warner Career Wins
Fred Warner’s career highlights reflect steady, durable excellence at the linebacker position since his 2018 arrival in the NFL. Across multiple seasons, he has earned Pro Bowl selections, First-team All-Pro honors, and weekly and monthly conference awards from the NFC. While his primary statistical strengths are tackles, interceptions, and forced fumbles, his on-field impact has helped the San Francisco 49ers remain among the top defensive units in the league.
NFL Highlights
Warner has recorded at least 124 tackles in every season of his career, including a high of 137 tackles in 2021. He has posted four or more interceptions in a season and has been a regular force in creating turnovers through forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. He earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors multiple times, including in 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2025, and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November 2019. He has also been a fixture in the NFL Top 100 Players rankings, peaking at No. 11 in 2024.
Other Wins and Performances
During his time at BYU, Warner was a three-year starter and helped anchor the Cougars defense with seven career interceptions, the second-most by a linebacker in program history. He earned All-San Diego Section Defensive Player of the Year and All-California First-team honors at Mission Hills High School, foreshadowing his consistent production at the college and professional levels.
Fred Warner Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Warner is the son of Fred Warner and Laura Warner, and he is the eldest of three siblings. His younger brother, Troy, followed him to BYU in 2015 as a defensive back. His multicultural background includes Mexican American heritage from his mother and African American and Panamanian heritage from his father, and his upbringing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has played a meaningful role in his personal development.
Personal Life
Warner married former The Bachelor contestant Sydney Hightower on June 25, 2022. In December 2017, he graduated from BYU with a degree in exercise and wellness. He has been active in community service efforts, partnering with the Bay Area law firm Venardi Zurada to host an annual Thanksgiving Food Drive in Walnut Creek, and supporting the COPD Foundation through the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season began on a high note for Warner and the 49ers, highlighted by his three-year, $63 million contract extension in May that made him the highest paid linebacker in the NFL. He opened the season with a forced fumble against the New York Jets that surpassed Ahmad Brooks for the second-most forced fumbles in franchise history, and he followed it with an NFC Defensive Player of the Week performance in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints, recording 11 tackles, one tackle for loss, and a forced fumble and recovery in a 26–21 victory.
Warner’s season was unfortunately cut short during Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when he suffered a dislocated and broken ankle that required season-ending surgery. The injury was a significant blow to a 49ers team that had leaned heavily on his leadership and production. Despite the setback, Warner remained a central voice in the locker room as he began recovery. Looking ahead, the extension he signed in 2025 keeps him under contract through 2028, ensuring that he remains a cornerstone of the 49ers defense once he returns to full health.