SANTA CLARA — The competition was apparent from the first snap of training camp.
Linebacker Fred Warner loves to give his offensive teammates an earful on the 49ers’ practice field.
And it was center Jake Brendel who got the first helping of Warner’s trash talk just moments after the team hit the field for the first 11-on-11 snap last Wednesday.
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As Brendel explains it, the 49ers’ offense during the first couple weeks of training camp focuses on run plays in which everything is predicated on where the middle linebacker lines up. Brendel will come to the line of scrimmage and point out Warner to his teammates along the offensive line.
Then, more often than not, Brendel's assignment is to get to the second level to block Warner.
“A lot of it is just me and Fred right now,” Brendel said. “He knows it. So any time he hears ‘Fifty-four’ come out of my mouth, it’s usually a collision between us two.”
And, yes, Warner definitely knows it.
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“Me and Jake, it’s always a one-on-one battle every day with me and him — who can beat who, who can get from Point A to Point B quicker,” Warner said. “So I love competing against Jake every day.”
Brendel is a late bloomer who did not become an NFL starter until he turned 30 years old in 2022.
Now, he has started 20 consecutive games for the 49ers, including the postseason, and was a first NFC alternate last season for the Pro Bowl.
He tries to be at his best in practices in order to make Warner work during camp. After all, everybody already knows how much Brendel can benefit from another summer of facing Warner on a daily basis.
“Iron sharpens iron,” Brendel said. “That’s something I’ve believed in since I was first in the league. Getting half-speed reps against the players you aren’t going to see on Sundays, that’s just not going to be as beneficial as playing against guys who are the best of the best.
“The fact I’m battling arguably the best (middle) linebacker in the league every single practice that just makes me better, which is great.”
Standing toe-to-toe against Warner is one thing. But Brendel, who is more of a reserved personality, also competes to hold his own when the verbal sparring begins, too.
“You have to be vocal right back to him when it’s the proper time,” Brendel said. “I feel like any time there’s a first down, I make sure he knows it.”
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