In Minnesota’s raucous U.S. Bank Stadium, taking on a Super Bowl contender, Fred Warner listened to the coach over the radio in his helmet. He was in charge of putting his 49ers teammates in the right spots. He had never relayed play calls on the field until that game — his first NFL start.
His messages were received, and he led the team with 12 tackles in the defeat to the Vikings. It’s not a position many rookies are thrown into right away, particularly those who aren’t first-round picks. But the 49ers knew early on that Warner could grasp the responsibility that’s often given to more established veterans.