Is Fred Warner already a Hall of Famer?
Robert Saleh sure seems to think so!
Newly re-hired San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has the opportunity to once again call a defense that has Fred Warner being the man in charge. Having an elite weapon in the middle of the field is a boon for any play caller, but Saleh’s praise was substantial, calling Warner “already a Hall of Famer.”
Saleh was a driving force behind the 49ers' ultimately selecting the BYU linebacker in the third round of the 2018 draft. The safety-turned-linebacker had all of the athleticism for the new age NFL linebacker, but it was working with Saleh and now Houston Texans head coach, DeMeco Ryans that saw Warner ascend.
Warner, over his short seven-year career, has already amassed four All-Pro and four Pro Bowl honors while being widely regarded as one of the top off-ball linebackers in all of the league. He has an outstanding resume to date, but is this short career enough to enshrine “All-Pro Fred” in football’s highest honor?
Two linebackers that stand out for their short but outstanding careers are Patrick Willis and Luke Kuechly. Both linebackers played for eight seasons and were considered one of the best at their positions over that time. While still having a season to match the careers of each of these two, respectively, they all have played a similar number of games. Warner rivals both Kuechly and Willis in his ability to force turnovers. With another season reaching his career average, he will surpass Willis and climb very close to Kuechly in career tackles.
In a career that has so far dubbed him amongst fans, teammates and analysts as “All-Pro Fred,” he is just one honor away from tying the total of these NFL legends.
Patrick Willis was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024, and Luke Kuechly was a finalist in his first year of eligibility for this upcoming enshrinement. Willis and Kuechly were not first ballot Hall of Famers, and Willis even had to wait five attempts before hearing that knock on his door. This would bode well for Warner in his chances.
The Hall of Fame has clearly shown that longevity is not a requirement for enshrinement, as Willis, Calvin Johnson, and Terrell Davis all got inducted without hitting the 10-year mark, but rather the dominance displayed over their careers.
If Warner can replicate his past All-Pro campaigns this upcoming season, he will be nearly identical with the careers of Kuechly and Willis. His career will also feature absolute dominance at the position with his accolades and consensus view as one of the best off-ball linebackers in all of football. So, he’s already on the cusp of a Hall of Fame career. Any further accomplishments would cement a bust for himself in Canton, Ohio once his career is over.