Shawne Merriman is a big admirer of Fred Warner’s play and could even see him being named Super Bowl LVIII MVP on Sunday.
The former NFL linebacker joined NBC Sports Bay Area’s Laura Britt at Radio Row on Tuesday in Las Vegas ahead of the 49ers’ matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs to talk about Warner's special impact on the field, which reminds Merriman of the way he played.
“I see a lot of myself in just the tenacity, the way he [Warner] plays the game,” Merriman told Britt. “His physicality, he gets to not just [tackle] guys, punishing guys when they get to the ball carrier.”
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To Merriman, who won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005 and was named to three Pro Bowl teams during his eight NFL seasons, Warner’s virtue for following the ball is what has him sold.
“But if you look up, and I want fans to notice this now because I’ve been watching him since he got in the league,” Merriman added. “If you look up, he’s never out of the frame. No matter where the ball is thrown, no matter who is running, throwing the ball down the field, look up and Fred Warner is always around the football.
“That’s what I love about him. And that’s why I think he has an opportunity to, if the MVP is going to go to someone, I think Fred Warner can have an interception, 10 tackles, a fumble recovery and be a shining star.”
Warner, 27, was selected by the 49ers with the No. 70 overall pick in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
San Francisco 49ers
Since then, the three-time All-Pro has become one of the main cogs in a highly effective 49ers defense, featuring All-Pro defensive end Nick Bosa and 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young, that ranked third in points allowed per game (17.5) during the regular season.
No stranger to leading explosive defenses, Merriman emphasized the quality individuals that power the 49ers defensive side of the ball, yet double downed on Warner’s irreplaceable value to San Francisco’s defense.
“And look, Nick Bosa is great,” Merriman said. “Chase Young, who is like my younger brother, he came from Maryland. I’ve watched Chase Young since he was in high school. We grew up in kind of the same area. So, they have a terrific front guys, but Fred Warner has been the centerpiece of what makes that defense go.”
Sunday’s marquee matchup likely will be a game of defenses.
If that’s the case, there’s a good chance Merriman’s prediction might turn out to be lights out.