Fred Warner has become one of the NFL’s premier inside linebackers. He’s led the San Francisco 49ers’ defense since he was drafted and has been named first-team All-Pro four times in his seven seasons.
Warner credits Robert Saleh for his success and is excited that the team brought back the defensive coordinator.
Fred Warner Is ‘Amazingly Pumped’ for Robert Saleh’s Return
The 49ers selected Warner in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and he’s started all but one game in his career. He burst onto the scene in his rookie year with 124 tackles and has recorded at least 118 tackles each of his seven seasons.
San Francisco made the Super Bowl in Warner’s sophomore campaign, with the linebacker posting 20 tackles and an interception in their postseason run. He was named first-team All-Pro for the first time after the 2020 season, where he totaled 125 tackles, one sack, and two interceptions.
Saleh was named head coach of the New York Jets for the 2020 season after four years calling the 49ers’ defense. San Francisco had become one of the premier defenses in the league during Saleh’s time. His “All Gas, No Brake” mentality drove the 49ers to Super Bowl 54, and his defense was top-five in yards per game allowed in his last two seasons in San Francisco.
Warner continued to shine after Saleh left, being named to the Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro each of the last three seasons. Now, Saleh is back in the 49ers’ fold, and Warner couldn’t hold in his excitement on a recent “Ross Tucker Podcast,” appearance.
“Nobody else had the vision for what I could be aside from him.”@fred_warner on reuniting with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh: pic.twitter.com/zNh4P3iZ8c
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) April 14, 2025
Tucker asked Warner for his thoughts on Saleh returning to the 49ers after four years away. Warner replied, “Obviously, amazingly pumped, because of what I just spoke on. Nobody else had the vision for what I could be aside from him.
“He was the first and only guy to be like, ‘I know that you are going to do well in our system. I have all these backers ranked, you’re right there at the top with these guys.’ And no one else has said that. For whatever reason, he saw something in me.”
New York was not kind to Saleh. He amassed a 20-36 record in just over three seasons at the helm and was fired after Week 5 of 2024. Saleh never had stable quarterback play in New York, but he built the Jets into a formidable defense.
They became a top-five unit in Saleh’s second season and were consistently dangerous during his tenure. The Jets slipped to No. 15 in PFSN’s Defense+ metric last year once Saleh was fired, but he now returns to a familiar place in San Francisco. The 49ers were PFSN’s 26th-best defense in 2024, so a change is very much needed.