When the San Francisco 49ers lost their star linebacker Fred Warner to a brutal ankle injury, it was fair to worry the defense would be abysmal the rest of the season.
That has not been the case, and a large part of it has to do with the success of Warner's replacement, Tatum Bethune.
To be clear, Bethune is no Warner. Then again, no player is. What Warner brings to the table with his play and as an emotional leader is simply unmatched.
But Bethune has still done a nice job of filling in.
Since being thrust into the starting middle linebacker role, Bethune has recorded 10 tackles or more in each game he has started.