San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner was carted off with a horrifying leg injury on Sunday, with rival players for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appearing to pray for him as he left the field.
Warner, widely considered one of the best in his position in the NFL, went down after getting tangled up with his own man, Ji’Ayir Brown, as Bucs running back Rachaad White pushed forward with the ball.
But immediately, both sets of players knew something was wrong as Warner fell down – Bucs wide receiver Tez Johnson was particularly animated as he realized something was wrong.
They were screaming for medical assistance to rush onto the field as Warner writhed in agony, holding his right leg. Replays appeared to show Warner’s foot pointing in the wrong direction.
Eventually, after a lengthy delay, Warner was carted off the field with his right leg in an air cast.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, meanwhile, appeared to be praying on the field while Warner was being treated by doctors.
49ers star Fred Warner was carted off the field with a sickening leg injury on Sunday
Warner was immediately down in agony after getting tangled up with a teammate on the field
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield appeared to pray for Warner while he was treated
Warner was eventually carted off with his leg in an air boot – a sign something could be broken
‘We’ve got to rally,’ Kyle Shanahan said at halftime. ‘It sucks losing Fred, we know that and we will deal with it after the game.’
If Warner’s injury is a dislocation or bone break, it’ll likely rule him out for the rest of the season. And the injuries are already piling up for the 49ers.
No 1 quarterback Brock Purdy has only made two appearances so far this season, with Mac Jones deputizing as he battles to overcome shoulder and toe injuries.
Tight end George Kittle has been out since Week 1 with a hamstring issue but the 49ers hope he will return next Sunday against Atlanta Falcons.
On the defense, they are already without Nick Bosa after he tore his ACL in September. It means that any major injury to Warner will hit extra hard and could force the team into the trade market.
Indeed, earlier this week, reports linked them with what would be an extraordinary move for Bengals pass rusher Tery Hendrickson.
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