The San Francisco 49ers reached the postseason despite losing All‑Pros Nick Bosa and Fred Warner to significant injuries in 2025. Bosa tore his ACL in Week 3 and underwent season‑ending surgery, removing San Francisco’s premier edge threat for the year. Warner suffered a broken, dislocated ankle in Week 6 and was also ruled out for the regular season, forcing the defense to lean on depth and scheme.
As the Wild Card round begins, reporting outlines firm timelines: Bosa is out until summer on a nine‑month ACL recovery, while Warner, ahead of schedule, has a slim window for a limited cameo only if the 49ers advance deep into January.
Latest on Fred Warner and Nick Bosa’s Playing Status
Nick Bosa’s status is clear as he will not return for the playoffs under any circumstances. A standard ACL reconstruction recovery is approximately nine months, placing his clearance around June, with optimism for full participation at the start of the 2026 season. That removes San Francisco’s top edge rusher for the entire postseason.
Fred Warner’s outlook is more nuanced. After the Week 6 broken/dislocated ankle and surgery, multiple reports say he is ahead of rehab markers and remains out for the Wild Card and Divisional rounds, but could potentially make a limited, spot‑duty appearance if the 49ers reach the NFC Championship Game, and more likely the Super Bowl, with medical risk considerations attached.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported a “cameo” is possible late in the tournament; FOX’s Jay Glazer reinforced that Warner has “blown past” rehab checkpoints, and the team is holding out hope if they get that far.
In practical terms, the 49ers will continue with their current linebacker rotation through at least the first two rounds, and any Warner return would be tightly managed with snap count controls. Coordination with medical staff and game flow would dictate usage even if he’s active.
Will Fred Warner and Nick Bosa Return For Playoffs?
Bosa will not return for any playoff game; his ACL timeline definitively rules him out until the offseason program, with June targeted for clearance. San Francisco plans around replacements who have absorbed edge duties and interior packages that reduce explosive runs and protect the secondary.
Warner’s pathway is conditional and late-stage. Rapoport/Garafolo reported “a chance” Warner could make a cameo in the NFC Championship Game if the 49ers reach it, or more likely in Super Bowl LX, and even then, only in spot duty given re‑injury risk.
Glazer added that Warner’s rehab progression has exceeded benchmarks, and the club “is holding out hope” for the conference title round if they advance. That does not apply to the Wild Card or Divisional rounds, where he is not expected to play.
Warner practiced in the week leading up to the Divisional Round game against the Seahawks, but was ultimately ruled out.
If Warner is cleared for a limited return, expect situational deployment, third‑down coverage snaps, two‑minute, red‑zone packages, rather than a full workload. The 49ers would maintain existing personnel groupings and slot Warner into specific roles to maximize leadership and communication without overtaxing his ankle.
In all other scenarios, San Francisco proceeds with its current depth, while Bosa’s absence remains constant throughout the entire postseason.
San Francisco 49ers’ Stats and Insights for Divisional Round
Playoff:Â Kyle Shanahan is 4-0 as head coach in the Divisional Round, with three wins at home. He has won at least two games in each of his four previous postseasons.
​Team: The San Francisco 49ers have won four straight road games against the Seattle Seahawks, averaging a 10.5-point victory. Seattle scored 63 total points in those games, including 13 in three of them.
​QB: Brock Purdy had his worst QBi score of the season in Week 18 with a 66.3 (D) against Seattle, but his season average of 92.1 (A-) led the NFL.
​OFF: In Week 18 against the Seahawks, the 49ers registered an OFFi score of 62.9 (D-), which was the team’s lowest score since the 2022 NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Purdy and Josh Johnson, the only active quarterbacks, were injured in that game.
​DEF: San Francisco allowed 13 points in each game against Seattle. The Seahawks scored 30.5 points per game in the other 15 games. On the other side, Seattle held San Francisco to 10.0 points per game while the 49ers averaged 27.8 against different opponents.
