BACK YOUR WAY IN THE STUDIO. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. DAPPER SAN FRANCISCO 40 NINERS. LINEBACKER FRED WARNER RETURNED TO PRACTICE TODAY AFTER BEING SIDELINED FOR MONTHS WITH AN ANKLE INJURY. THE RECOVERY JUST BLOWS ME AWAY, COACH KYLE SHANAHAN SAID THAT HE’LL MOST LIKELY RETURN NEXT WEEK IF THE NINERS WIN OVER THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, BUT KCRA 3’S RYAN CURRY SPOKE WITH THE LINEBACKER, WHO IS HOPEFUL THAT HE MIGHT BE BACK AS EARLY AS THIS SATURDAY FOR THE GAME. I FEEL GREAT, I FEEL AMAZING. THOSE WERE FRED WARNER’S WORDS WHEN HE SPOKE TO THE MEDIA IN FRONT OF HIS LOCKER EARLIER, BEFORE HEADING OUT TO PRACTICE, THE STAR LINEBACKER IS HOPING TO PLAY AS EARLY AS THIS WEEKEND AS THE 40 NINERS GET READY TO PLAY THEIR DIVISION RIVAL AND TOP SEED IN THE NFC, THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS. WARNER WAS OUT AT PRACTICE TRYING TO LOOK LIKE HIS USUAL SELF. IT’S BEEN OVER THREE MONTHS SINCE THE STAR LINEBACKER BROKE AND DISLOCATED HIS ANKLE FOR MOST OF THE SEASON. THE THOUGHT WAS THAT HE WOULDN’T RETURN OR WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO RETURN, BUT AS THE TEAM CONTINUES TO ADVANCE WITHOUT HIM, THEY ARE AT A POINT WHERE HE MIGHT COME BACK. HE SAYS HE’S TAKING IT DAY BY DAY AND LEAVING IT UP TO THE DOCTORS AND COACHES TO DECIDE IF HE IS GOOD TO GO. THIS WEEKEND. THE PLAYERS SAY HIS RETURN PROVIDES NOT JUST A BOOST ON THE FIELD, BUT A CONFIDENCE BOOST FOR THE REST OF THE TEAM IN THEIR PREPARATION. JUST SO GRATEFUL AND BLESSED TO BE BACK. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK OBVIOUSLY WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENED, I DIDN’T REALLY THINK ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF RETURNING IN SEASON. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THINGS PROGRESSED AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE BACK WITH MY TEAMMATES AND HAVE A CHANCE AT HELPING THEM WIN THIS WEEK AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. THAT’S THAT’S MY MY ONLY GOAL GOING FORWARD. IT’S JUST COOL BECAUSE YOU CAN FEEL HIM AND HIS PRESENCE. AND GUYS ARE LIKE, MAN, LIKE 54 IS RIGHT THERE AROUND THE CORNER. AND OBVIOUSLY WE DO OUR JOB, HANDLE OUR BUSINESS. THEN WE CAN GET HIM BACK, WHICH WOULD BE REALLY COOL. GUYS FEED OFF THAT. HE’S THE CAPTAIN HERE MAN. HE’S HE’S THE GUY THAT WE ALL FOLLOW. SO AND HE SET THE STANDARD OF YOU KNOW REALLY HOW WE PLAY HERE. SO TO GET HIM BACK WOULD BE YOU KNOW REALLY REALLY COOL. NOW COACH KYLE SHANAHAN DID INDICATE EARLIER THIS WEEK IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY FOR HIM TO PLAY THIS WEEKEND, THAT HE WOULD MOST LIK

San Francisco 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner returned to practice Wednesday after he broke his ankle back in October. Warner and most of the team thought he wouldn’t return until next season. However, Warner’s fast recovery and the team’s deep playoff run means he has a chance to play again. “Just so grateful, blessed to be back,” Warner said. “When all this happened, I didn’t really think about the possibility of returning this season, but you know the way things progressed, and being able to have this opportunity with my teammates, and have a chance at helping them win this week and so on, so that’s my only goal going forward.”At practice, Warner appeared to have broken the team huddle while also looking spry during team drills. His return is not just a potential boost for the team on the field, but for the emotions off of it. “It’s just cool because you can feel his presence,” said 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. “54 is right there, right around the corner, and obviously, if we do our job and handle our business, then we can get him back, which would be really cool.”Head Coach Kyle Shanahan said it is unlikely Warner will play this weekend against Seattle — indicating that he would return if the 49ers make it to the next round. Warner himself indicated there is a chance he could suit up this weekend, but also said it would be a decision made by the coaching and medical staff. “We’re taking it day by day,” he said. “I think they said last week they weren’t going to open my window, and my window is now open, so, yeah, taking it day by day.”See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SANTA CLARA, Calif. —

San Francisco 49ers star linebacker Fred Warner returned to practice Wednesday after he broke his ankle back in October. Warner and most of the team thought he wouldn’t return until next season. However, Warner’s fast recovery and the team’s deep playoff run means he has a chance to play again.

“Just so grateful, blessed to be back,” Warner said. “When all this happened, I didn’t really think about the possibility of returning this season, but you know the way things progressed, and being able to have this opportunity with my teammates, and have a chance at helping them win this week and so on, so that’s my only goal going forward.”

At practice, Warner appeared to have broken the team huddle while also looking spry during team drills. His return is not just a potential boost for the team on the field, but for the emotions off of it.

“It’s just cool because you can feel his presence,” said 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. “54 is right there, right around the corner, and obviously, if we do our job and handle our business, then we can get him back, which would be really cool.”

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan said it is unlikely Warner will play this weekend against Seattle — indicating that he would return if the 49ers make it to the next round. Warner himself indicated there is a chance he could suit up this weekend, but also said it would be a decision made by the coaching and medical staff.

“We’re taking it day by day,” he said. “I think they said last week they weren’t going to open my [practice] window, and my window is now open, so, yeah, taking it day by day.”

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel