The San Francisco 49ers haven’t won a Super Bowl since the 1994 season. The last time the 49ers were able to hoist the coveted Lombardi Trophy was on January 29, 1995, when they defeated the San Diego Chargers 49–26 in a record-breaking game in Super Bowl XXIX.
MVP quarterback Steve Young threw a Super Bowl single-game record of six touchdown passes in the game, breaking Joe Montana’s record of five from Super Bowl XXIV. Jerry Rice and Ricky Watters each scored a Super Bowl record-tying three touchdowns.
Since then, the 49ers have been waiting for another major triumph.
Warner Compares the NFC West to a Meme
GettyThe San Francisco 49ers haven’t won a Super Bowl since the 1994 season.
Linebacker Fred Warner has now revealed on the St. Brown Podcast — hosted by Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and his brother Equanimeous — why that might be the case. When asked whether the NFC West is the toughest division in the NFL , Warner gave a very clear answer: “Oh yeah easily. That’s not even a question.”
Warner suffered a serious ankle injury during the regular season on October 12, 2025, in the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and missed the remainder of the 49ers’ season. He also draws comparisons to the NFC North.
But for the linebacker it is still clear, “For over a decade, as long as I’ve been playing, it’s always been us. This year we had three teams who played for the no. 1 seed in our division.”
Later, he added: “If you’re going off just off our peak ball being played, NFC West, baby!”
Then Amon-Ra asked Warner bluntly, “What about the Cardinals ?” Warner laughed, conjuring up a meme that’s popular on social media in the listeners’ minds. He answered, “You ever see that meme with the dragons where it’s the 3 dragons and then you got the dragon over there with his tongue out and the goggly eyes? Unfortunately that’s the Cardinals right now.”
In the same breath, he added that for a long time, that dragon in the NFC North had been the Detroit Lions.
But the conversation between Warner and the St. Brown brothers goes even deeper, namely to the question of the 49ers’ biggest rival. Here, Warner’s answer is less clear: “That depends on the season. Over the majority of my career I’d say the Rams … It’s back and forth,” he replies.
Brock Purdy is the 49ers’ Key to Success
GettyBrock Purdy went from being Mr. Irrelevant to the franchise quarterback of the 49ers.
That the San Francisco 49ers play in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL should be no secret to anyone, although the question of their next Super Bowl ring always seems to hang over the team.
Even though the 49ers’ Super Bowl hopes faded after a playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks , Warner is confident that franchise quarterback Brock Purdy can end the decades-long drought.
“He does everything at an elite level, in my opinion,” Warner said on the podcast . “Especially when he came back from his injury this year and he started to come into his own and kinda get over that foot and get his mobility back.”
“You really saw him come to life. I think he played the best ball out of any team quarterback in the league down the stretch.”
A Super Bowl victory for the 49ers hinges on giving Purdy a strong, reliable offensive line, but also on having a healthy defense — linebacker Fred Warner included.
The key to success? Dominating in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL. With stars like Purdy and Warner firing on all cylinders, the 49ers may finally turn their long wait into Super Bowl glory.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us .
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post 49ers’ Fred Warner Speaks Out on NFC West appeared first on Heavy Sports .