SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Fred Warner, the standout linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, disclosed on Wednesday that he has been contending with a fractured ankle since early September.

According to Warner, he sustained the injury during the first half of the team’s Week 4 victory against the New England Patriots. Although he was absent from the field for the second half of that particular game and appeared on the injury report for the following two weeks, he has not missed any game time since.

“It’s something I deal with every game,” Warner expressed. “Before each game, I get on that table and receive injections just to be able to play. It’s not an excuse, it’s simply the reality. This is the NFL; being fully healthy is a rarity. You have to find ways to execute, maintain high performance, and secure victories week in and week out.”

However, his performance has noticeably declined since the injury. In the four games prior to his injury, Warner recorded two interceptions—one of which he returned for a touchdown—three forced fumbles, a sack, and four passes defended.

In stark contrast, in the last seven games, he has yet to register an interception or sack, managing only two passes defended and one forced fumble.

Pro Football Focus reports that nine out of his eleven missed tackles have occurred since the injury, with a particularly rough outing last week against Green Bay, where he had four missed tackles. In terms of pass coverage, he has struggled significantly, yielding 31 receptions on 31 targets over the past seven games. This is a significant change compared to the first four games, during which he allowed just four receptions on 14 targets.

Warner, a three-time All-Pro selection, has never missed a game since joining the NFL in 2018 and remains determined to keep it that way, regardless of the state of his injury.

“Whenever you fracture a bone and choose to keep playing on it, that bone typically won’t heal properly,” he noted. “I just have to continue to fight through it.”