49ers star linebacker Fred Warner thankful to be back in football shape
49ers linebacker Fred Warner speaks to reporters following San Francisco's training camp session on Tuesday in El Segundo.
49ers star linebacker Fred Warner thankful to be back in football shape originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
Got a little bit of a challenge today from the defensive backs today.
What were they doing over there?
Yeah, it's hard to tell, you know, when you're in the battle, right, what's exactly going on.
You gotta see the tape to really see, what it looks like.
But, you know, any time you get to go against another team, it's a great opportunity to see where you stand and, I w- you know, I always look forward to joint practices for that reason, right?
So to come out and be in a game-like setting, against another opponent, so luckily it was, it was a good test for us.
Right.
Osa seems to be getting a lot of pressure on the interior as well.
Did he, like, definitely affect the pocket?
Yeah.
Osa just seems like he just keeps getting better and better, right?
I, I love the, the mindset, the tenacity, the physicality that he brings to the position and to our defense.
We know how important it is to get pressure up front on the quarterback and in the run game, so I think Osa's just gonna continue to get better as we keep going.
What kind of treatment do you have to do on your ankle as you get through camp here?
It obviously doesn't look like it's bothering you, but I'm just curious how that goes.
No, I mean, s- I can't tell you how thankful I am, honestly, of, like, just how it r- it recovered, and I really don't have to think about it much.
It doesn't require any ex- like, extra, like, after practice treatment or anything like that.
I mean, God is amazing in that way, that, you know, I feel back to myself again and, and I don't have to constantly be like, "Oh, man, my, my, my leg's throbbing," or something.
It's, it's honestly just regular football soreness at this point, you know?
And, but when you don't play for over half a season, your body feels pretty fresh, and, you just get to go out there and fly around.
You don't swim still, do you?
No, the swimming gotta, gotta get put on hold for a little bit, you know.
Right now it's all about just ball.
That's pretty helpful.
It was really helpful.
You know, just the pump in the ankle, when I was unable to walk, being able to get back in there and, and get the cardio in.
I think that was a big reason for why I came back in the playoffs as quick as I did, in as good a shape as I was.
You know, without the a- the ability to really run and, and get my cardio that way, so I think the pool helped a ton.
Since probably the, from the first start of training camp, has there been a change in emphasis with punch outs, you know, when, when one of your ball carriers is carrying the ball or even doing a joint practice like this?
For me, no.
I, you know, I'm, I'm always, that's my, my emphasis every single play, honestly.
You know, does every play, have a punch out op?
Not necessarily, but I'm gonna try to find it, you know, where I can.
And, you know, something that I've just, you know, you know me.
Over the years I've just tried to practice it so much where it's not even a, a thought in my mind.
It's just second nature at this point.
And so, you know, it's beyond the point of me trying to just get punch outs.
It's like how can I, you know, be infectious to the rest of the team and have it on everybody's mind?
And we talk about it, you know, affecting the football in all d- all different sorts of ways.
You know, but game on the line, gotta have it moments, you know, where we need to make a play.
I try to f- definitely have it on my mind in, in those situations.
And the reason I ask that- Last one, guys is because, you know, first derb, couple weeks ago or a week or so ago, said that that's how Jordan Jenkins was, was injured with a, a punch out that, that went awry.
That play specifically, you know, I know there was, like, a clip that circulated with me and Jordan.
That wasn't, you know, that wasn't the play where he got hurt.
It was just honestly just an u- unfortunate collision between Jordan and I when we didn't have pads on.
It wasn't, you know, me intentionally trying to go in and punch the ball out on him.
It was just accidental.
Which of the, the young linebackers stood out to you in the game against the Titans?
A lot of, I mean, all of them.
You know, I think, everybody had, had good, good things and things to work on throughout that game.
You know, we had two backers get sacks in that game, which is, you know, you don't, you don't see that a, you haven't seen that a lot w- from, from our group in the past.
But to see young Larry get in there, get a sack, and then Tatum bulldoze a running back to get a sack.
You know, Doug did a lot of good things i- in that, in that game as well.
Wallow has been phenomenal all camp.
He had a really good track tackle out in s- out in space.
You know, Nick Martin blowing people up, unreal.
You know, so there was a lot of guys that did a lot of good things.
I'm sure I'm missing somebody, but, I, I, I liked what I saw from the group.
Fred, those young guys learn from you and Dre, quite a bit.
Do you find yourself trying to be a little more verbal in the meetings to try to kinda show them the way a little bit verbally?
Yeah, I mean, I speak up where I can, but, you know, at the end of the day I try to lead by example more so than just by words, you know?
I think words are cheap.
I think every day you gotta go out there with something to prove.
It doesn't matter what I've done in this league or what Dre's done in this league.
I think what makes us great is just our hunger for the game and wanting to prove ourselves every single day, and I think that feeds, you know, the rest of the group.
It's a hungry group, and KJ's done a phenomenal job as our, our linebacker coach, and Johnny o- obviously overseeing stuff as well.
So, we all still got a lot to improve on, and I'm, I'm looking forward to just continue to get, be at our best for, week one.
