Although NFL football It is very popular in Mexico, the tricolor representatives within the league are few, so any possibility of associating a player with Mexican roots must be taken advantage of.
Such is the case of Fred Warner, linebacker of San Francisco 49erswho despite not having a name that sounds Hispanic, has Mexican heritage on his mother’s side running through his blood, which he usually boasts with pride, even going so far as to wear the tricolor flag on his helmet.
This will be the second time that Warner plays in the Super Bowl, Well, he was part of the 49ers team that lost the title game of the 2019 season, precisely, against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Warner’s Mexican heritage It is because his maternal grandfather was born on this side of the border, and it was his mother, Laura, who instilled in him that love for Mexico and who encouraged him to take the path of American football and become one of the strongholds of the defense of the ‘niners’.
Fred Warner already had the opportunity to play in his other country, as he was part of the roster of San Francisco that faced the Arizona Cardinals at the Azteca Stadium, in 2022, and ran out of the locker room with a large Mexican flag, which he waved with excitement and pride. She has also worn green, white and red in her spikes of game.
According to the official site of the San Francisco 49ers, Federico Anthony Warner highlights that you must always work hard, be humble and grateful to achieve success and meet your life goals, a philosophy that Mexican society usually has.
Fred Warner, undisputed of the ‘niner’ defense
The linebacker with Mexican roots was taken by San Francisco in the 2018 NFL draft, and since that year’s season, Warner has been the undisputed starter in the California team’s defense, and has only missed one game in the six seasons he has already played in the NFL.
Total, Warner has played 98 games, has had 8 interceptions for 135 yards and one of these he returned to the touchdown zone, in 2019, he has also forced 11 fumbles, of which he has recovered six.
In terms of quarterback sacks, the Mexican has nine and has 766 tackles, of which 493 have been individual and 273 assisted.
Regarding the playoffs, Warner has played in 11 games, has two interceptions, a forced fumble and 84 tackles.
Defense must improve: Warner
Fred Warner accepted that the defense has been the weak point of the team in the playoffs, which must change in the Super Bowl LVIII, They will play on February 11 against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“We haven’t been good enough. We have seen the videos and the rivals have had a great opportunity to win due to our performance; “That cannot happen. We have the opportunity to correct the mistakes we have made in the most important game,” said the defender.
Warner, who has Mexican roots thanks to his mother, assured that they have learned the lesson after the previous games of the playoffs of the 2023 season.
“We will try to win over specific players to show more consistency. I can see plays from the last game where I didn’t give 100 percent effort and that’s just not going to happen again,” he warned.
With information from EFE
