Next Man Up: Tatum Bethune
The former 7th-round pick must now do the impossible: replace Fred Warner.
The San Francisco 49ers will have to replace their captain, leader, and most dynamic defensive player, Fred Warner, for the rest of the season. This comes after he suffered a dislocated and broken ankle. While this news makes the team’s 4-2 start feel like it could be squandered, this group has shown they will not back down and embrace the “next man up” mentality. In this case, that next man up is second-year player Tatum Bethune from Florida State.
Bethune, a former seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has played sparingly over the past two seasons but now faces a much larger role. NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Matt Maiocco is reporting that the 49ers do not have interest in trading for a veteran middle linebacker, and that this job will be Bethune’s for the rest of the season. Can he model his game after Warner’s and become the next breakout linebacker in San Francisco?
In college, Bethune racked up 339 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and four interceptions. While he may not have the same athleticism as Warner, giving maximum effort on the field, like Warner, won’t be new to him. He was awarded the Monk Bonasorte Award in college, given to the defensive player who displays the most heart on the gridiron.
In an interview with KNBR, 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir shared that Warner would often have Bethune break down the team and played a role in his development as a leader. After being selected by the 49ers, Bethune wasn’t expected to take over such an important role with Dre Greenlaw, Fred Warner, and Dee Winters already on the roster, but his time is now.
49ers Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh has shown he can develop talent at linebacker, given his extensive history with the position. Saleh was instrumental in the development of Reuben Foster, Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, and Azeez Al-Shaair. His next challenge is getting the second-year linebacker ready to replace the all-world Fred Warner in just one week.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pieced together several scoring drives after Warner left the game, and their average yards per play surged at an alarming rate. This is not a slight on Bethune, but rather a testament to just how important Warner was to this group. His ability to take away the middle of the field in passing situations, give all-out effort, and mask mistakes made by a young, developing defensive line was unmatched.
Saleh is showing his faith in Bethune as they prepare to welcome the Atlanta Falcons to Levi’s Stadium this upcoming Sunday night—a team known for its dominant ground game.
While the 49ers can never truly replace what Warner brings to the team, and while it may feel like the season has lost some hope, this team has embraced the “next man up” mantra all season long, despite a rash of injuries to All-Pro players and key starters. Bethune is just the next 49er with an opportunity to prove himself in what has already been a wild 2025 season.