49ers linebacker Fred Warner faces Raiders' Bay Area return with NFL-best punch-out
The gist
49ers linebacker Fred Warner heads into Sunday's Raiders game tied for the NFL lead with four forced fumbles.
His punch-out technique is spreading through the 49ers defense as the rivalry returns.
How it unfolded
- Nov 4, 2026A Raiders Wire column argues Warner could improve the Raiders' run defense, noting the Raiders allow 5.1 yards per carry (worst in the NFL) while the 49ers allow 3.5.
- Nov 5, 2026Warner tells the media the Raiders' return to the Bay Area is exciting for fans, saying "this week, they're the Oakland Raiders."
- Nov 5, 2026Warner calls Raiders tight end Brock Bowers "one of the best players in the league regardless of position" ahead of Week 9.
Key terms
- forced fumbles
- In gridiron football, losing possession of the ball before being tackled, scoring, or going out of bounds, leaving it a live ball.
- Peanut Punch
- A gridiron football move in which a defender forces a fumble by punching the ball out of the carrier's hands.
Source: Wikipedia