San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner is heading to Super Bowl LVIII!
The game, which will be played Sunday, February 11th, will see Warner, of Mexican and Panamanian descent, and teammate Jon Feliciano, of Puerto Rican and Sicilian descent, face off against Isiah Pacheco, of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. But who exactly is Fred Warner? After all, he’s not just a star player who has made the Pro Bowl 3 times in 6 seasons or the husband of a reality TV star. He’s also a proud Latino and a man who just enjoys bowling, gaming, and connecting with fans.
Here are five facts about the linebacker from San Marcos, California, to get to know him better as he makes his second run at winning the Super Bowl!
1
Mexican-Panamanian Heritage
Warner was born in San Marcos, California, on November 19, 1996, to Laura and Fred Warner Sr. He talked to 49ers.com about his heritage, and it’s clear that he’s proud to be Mexican-Panamanian. “A little bit of my background, my mom is half Mexican and my father is part Panamanian and part African-American, so that’s a huge part of me. Being able to represent the Latino community, it means a lot to me. If I can just inspire even just one kid to look at me and be like, ‘I know I can do it if Fred can do it,’ I know that I’m making an impact.”
2
Selected in Middle of the Draft
Warner was selected in the middle of the draft, meaning he was nowhere near Mr. Irrelevant, but he also wasn’t one of the top prospects in his draft class. The 49ers selected Warner in the third round, with the 70th overall pick in the 2018 draft. For perspective, he was the 9th linebacker drafted that year. But he came into the 49ers and not only became a starter right away but played at a very high level. Three Pro Bowls in six years in the league are nothing to scoff at.
3
Married to a Reality TV Star
Warner’s wife, Sydney Hightower, is a familiar face to most people who watch reality TV. Hightower, now with the last name of Warner, was a contestant in The Bachelor season 24, and though she didn’t receive a final rose, she made enough of an impression on Warner for him to slide into her DMs.
The couple married in 2022 and are now expecting their first child together.
4
Gamer Off the Field
When he’s not playing football, Warner still likes his games. And though for most, that means just video games, for Warner, that’s not just what it means. He will admit to enjoying the Xbox, but Warner is also a fan of bowling, as he revealed in this video interview with the Fangirl Sports Network.
5
His Career Stats
Warner has played six seasons in the league, and his stats are pretty damn consistent for six seasons, particularly considering he’s gotten better with each passing season. 766 career tackles, 9 sacks, 8 total INTs (4 of those coming this last season), and 1 career TD. Not just that, six straight seasons of over 100 tackles. The real question isn’t how good Fred Warner is, but how good he can become.