Fred Warner has earned the right to have opinions about quarterbacks. The San Francisco 49ers linebacker has spent seven seasons as one of the best signal-caller stoppers in the NFL. With four Pro Bowl nods, his resume includes covering and closing on some of the game’s most elite passers.
And even after dislocating his ankle while watching from the IR in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Warner remained one of the most respected defensive voices in the league.
So when Warner sits down on a podcast and names the one quarterback who genuinely gets in his head, the name he dropped was quite surprising. And it is not Patrick Mahomes or Dak Prescott; it’s Joe Burrow.
49ers All-Pro Fred Warner Reveals Joe Burrow Is “Toughest” QB He’s Faced
Before the ankle ended his season early, Warner was putting together another elite campaign for a San Francisco squad that finished 12-5 and reached the NFC Divisional Round. Through six weeks, he had posted up 51 combined tackles, three passes defensed, and two forced fumbles.
Oct 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner (54) warms up before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner (54) warms up before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
However, following his absence, the Niners had to lean on Eric Kendricks down the stretch just to stay functional at the second level.
That kind of production is the baseline for Warner now. But it’s his football IQ — the ability to read formations, diagnose plays pre-snap, and match up against elite athletes at multiple positions — that makes his quarterback rankings worth paying attention to.
ALSO READ: Joe Burrow Opens Up About Racism He Faced Growing Up and How It Shapes His Advocacy Today
Appearing on “The Ryen Russillo Show” on Barstool Sports in late December, Warner was asked which quarterback can get absolutely leveled on a hit and still get up. He didn’t sugarcoat his praise for Chinchinante Bengla’s quarterback.
“I played him a couple of times,” Warnersaid of Burrow. “It was out in the open field, and I just ran right through him, and he delivered the ball anyway. It was on third down, and they converted. But I remember him just popping up like it was nothing. He’s like, ‘Hey, man, good hit.’ And I’m like, What the heck? Like, I just ran through you.
He added, “I didn’t even let up either. He’s just a dog, like he just for whatever reason, I don’t know, his makeup is different than a lot of these guys in this league, and so my hat’s off to him. You talk about competitive spirit, he’s got it through and through. You can see why guys rally around him and it’s something that makes him special.”
Wow: 49ers star LB Fred Warner says Bengals QB Joe Burrow is “toughest” quarterback he’s faced in the NFL.
“1,000% Joe Burrow. He’s just a dog. Like, he just, for whatever reason, his makeup’s different than a lot of these guys in this league.”
“You talk about competitive… pic.twitter.com/4IdTcXWMl9
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 24, 2026
Burrow and Warner have faced off twice, in 2021 and 2023. In those games, Burrow was nearly perfect, completing 53 of 66 passes for 631 yards and five touchdowns without a single interception.
He finished both games with a passer rating over 125. Beyond the stats, Burrow’s ability to take a hit and stay composed left a lasting impression on Warner, who clearly still respects how easily Burrow handled the 49ers’ front seven.
ALSO READ: Viral Video Shows Wife of Released Running Back Antonio Gibson Pleading with Patriots
Burrow entered the 2025 campaign as a legitimate MVP candidate after a 2024 season, posting 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns. Then, in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury on his left foot. The Bengals spiraled without him, going 1-7 over an eight-game stretch that essentially buried their playoff hopes.
When he returned roughly nine to ten weeks after surgery, it was too late. But it doesn’t change the reality about Burrow, how good he is. And Warner just confirmed what most think about the Bengals’ signal-caller.