After a down season that saw them win just six games in 2024, the San Francisco 49ers are back in the playoff mix this season. But the six-seed 49ers don’t have an easy first matchup against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Not to mention, the 49ers are dealing with more injuries on defense, particularly at the linebacker position.
With All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner ruled out of Sunday’s playoff game, as is his backup Tatum Bethune, the 49ers have had to make other plans heading into this weekend’s win-or-go-home matchup.
On Wednesday, the 49ers added one-time All-Pro linebacker Eric Kendricks to their active roster, having promoted him from the practice squad. Warner and Bethune (who was placed on IR) will miss more than just one week, so this could be Kendricks’ job for the remainder of San Francisco’s postseason.
Kendricks only joined the 49ers’ practice squad in November, but he’s since started a game and appeared in two others for a 12-win San Francisco team. Now he’ll be relied on in the most important stretch of the 49ers’ season.
The 33-year-old has only recorded six tackles this season, but he’ll get to add to those totals this week, where he’ll be taking part in the seventh playoff game of his NFL career. Yet, it will be his first taste of the postseason since 2021 with the Minnesota Vikings.
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