The San Francisco 49ers had a crushing blow this weekend when they lost linebacker Fred Warner to a broken and dislocated ankle, effectively ending his season.

As a result, the defense flustered a bit, having some miscommunication issues and getting beaten in coverage a few times en route to a 30-19 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Several players acknowledged the weight of such a massive injury after the game, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said they must find a way to move forward with a next-man-up mentality. Insert Tatum Bethune, whom the 49ers drafted in the seventh round last year with the 251st pick.

Bethune was a surprise last offseason, impressing enough to make the 53-man roster as a rookie. Now, he’s the team’s starting middle linebacker and will be responsible for handling th

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