The San Francisco 49ers are one of three teams from the NFC West that are undefeated, and are currently tied with the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams for the top spot in the division.
The 49ers are coming off a win led by Mac Jones in Brock Purdy’s absence, who is slated to miss several weeks with a toe injury.
The offense has gotten a lot of credit for the 2-0 start, especially Christian McCaffrey, who has risen from his injury concerns and returned to being a top-tier running back.
His impact cannot be understated on this offense, no matter who the quarterback is, but McCaffrey knows he can’t do it without the defense doing its job.
He mentioned as much in a recent interview shared via “KNBR” on X, specifically talking about Fred Warner and his impact on the game.
“Every day he surprises me. The guy is a freak man. He’s special every single week we know 5-4 is on our team we have a chance. He’s a game changer & the heart of that defense for sure,” McCaffrey said.
“Every day he surprises me. The guy is a freak man. He’s special every single week we know 5-4 is on our team we have a chance. He’s a game changer & the heart of that defense for sure.”
CMC never stops being amazed by NFC Defense Player of Week Fred Warner pic.twitter.com/VnGnvFwE7p
— KNBR (@KNBR) September 17, 2025
Warner was just named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his individual contributions in the 49ers’ win over the New Orleans Saints, and he has been among the best linebackers in football since he came into the league.
He is often recognized league-wide for these accomplishments, and it’s clear that his teammates are more than excited to have him on their team.
The defensive side of the ball will certainly need to hold up its end of the bargain for the next several weeks, as both Purdy and George Kittle will miss time and could impact the overall efficiency of the offense.
NEXT: Fred Warner Has Honest Admission About Brock Purdy
