The San Francisco 49ers continue to dole out big-money contract extensions to their best players. Their latest extension is for linebacker Fred Warner.
Warner and the 49ers agreed to a three-year, $63 million contract extension including $56 million guaranteed, a source confirmed to USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon.
This is the second extension Warner’s signed since the 49ers drafted him in the third round, No. 70 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft out of BYU. He’s only missed one regular season game in seven years in the league and was a starter immediately.
Warner was a first-team All-Pro in 2020, the same year he made his first Pro Bowl. He’s made both in each of the last three seasons as one of the best linebackers in the NFL.
Warner had two years left on the extension he’d signed prior to the 2021 season. That deal made him the highest-paid linebacker in the league and this new extension does so again.
Warner joins tight end George Kittle and quarterback Brock Purdy among 49ers players who signed multi-year extensions this offseason. Kittle became the highest-paid tight end in the league with his deal.
The 2025 season marks Warner’s age-29 campaign and his eighth in the NFL. San Francisco’s defense could look much different this fall after losing players in free agency and bringing in new talent via the NFL Draft. Longtime coordinator Robert Saleh is back in the building as well.
Fred Warner stats
Since Warner entered the league in 2018, only three players have tallied more tackles than him: Bobby Wagner, Roquan Smith and Foyesade Oluokun.
Here’s how his stats have looked every season:
2018 (16 games): 124 tackles, three tackles for loss, six passes defensed, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery
2019 (16 games): 118 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one interception, nine passes defensed, three forced fumbles
2020 (16 games): 125 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, two interceptions, six passes defensed, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries
2021 (16 games): 137 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, four passes defensed, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries
2022 (17 games): 130 tackles, three tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one interception, 10 passes defensed, one forced fumble
2023 (17 games): 132 tackles, six tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four interceptions, 11 passes defensed, four forced fumbles
2024 (17 games): 131 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defensed, four forced fumbles