Kyle Shanahan likens 49ers' Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw to Bears All-Pro duo
Kyle Shanahan likens 49ers' Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw to Bears All-Pro duo originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
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The 49ers arguably have the best linebacker duo in the NFL, and it could go down in franchise and NFL history as one of the best ever.
Fred Warner has been one of the league's best linebackers since 2018, while the hard-hitting Dre Greenlaw first made a name for himself in 2019 and has gotten better each season since.
Now in their fifth season together, Warner and Greenlaw continue to torment opposing offenses and are coming off one of their best games in the 49ers' blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5.
Kyle Shanahan joined Greg Papa on "49ers Game Plan," where he was asked if Warner, who recorded a sack, interception, forced fumble and five tackles against the Cowboys, is playing the best football of his career. Shanahan not only agreed, but likened Warner and Greenlaw to the Chicago Bears' linebacker duo of Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs from the early 2000s to 2010s.
"Probably. I mean, he's been so good for so long, but him and [Dre] Greenlaw together just, we're so fortunate to have those guys. I feel like we got Urlacher and Lance just the way those two guys are the way they fly around whenever a guy catches it as soon as he turns around, one of those guys is hitting them.
"And they're doing it pretty hard and, you know, it's really nice seeing them punch the ball and get it out in practice because our offense, we take so many shots from those guys. They punch us every single play, in OTAs, in training camp, every day at practice, you should see the calluses on their knuckles. I mean, our guys have bruises all over their forearms and ribs and they get so irritated with it and they want me to stop, have them stop it. And I'm always this close to doing it because it seems messed up sometimes. But then we all sit and watch them carry over to the game and I was like, all right, they can keep doing it to us because they do it to guys in the game. They're not quite ready and they get that ball out a ton."
Warner and Greenlaw oftentimes are compared to 49ers legendary linebacker duo Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, but perhaps the Bears' tandem is a more impressive comp.
In 13 seasons with the Bears, Urlacher won Defensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, was an eight-time Pro Bowler, received four All-Pro nods and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018. In 12 seasons with Chicago, Briggs was a seven-time Pro Bowler and received one All-Pro nod.
Warner and Greenlaw have a long way to go before accumulating as many accolades as Urlacher and Briggs did, but even the mere comparison from Shanahan is impressive.
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