While the Week 18 contest ended in horror for the Niners when both franchises clashed, former quarterback Steve Young still stands by his former team. Speaking ahead of the NFC divisional round, the NFL legend sent a powerful warning to the Seattle Seahawks. And it screamed, “You snooze, you lose.”

“The warning to Seahawks is, ‘Hey you better come with it or else you’re getting punched in the mouth and it’s gonna be too late for you too,’” he said on the Murph and Markus Show. “So I think I would hate to play the 49ers right now just because they’re playing with house money. They’re loose, they’re excited, they’re confident like good luck.”

The 49ers icon made it clear that the Seahawks should be on high alert. After his blunt warning, Steve Young admitted that he’s been building hopes since last week. According to him, head coach Kyle Shanahan’s team is riding high on an underdog mindset despite its success.

He highlighted how the franchise is not flinching despite losing tight end George Kittle to a torn Achilles tendon on his first catch against the Philadelphia Eagles. He also pointed to the newfound energy and confidence in the locker room when they could have easily folded. Steve Young believes San Francisco can thrive in adversity and that it could become a defining trait of the franchise. He also praised the 49ers’ season and made another big statement. 

“No matter how it [the campaign] goes is already one of those seasons that you have to lock away,” he said. “And can be a teaching modeling moment for the NFL, for how to build a locker room, to build an innovative play call, like all of the aspects that can make you great in the NFL today, we’ve exuded in a way that we just, it’s a lesson for the league.”

Meanwhile, the 49ers clashed with the Seahawks twice in the regular season, with the last one ending in an ugly 13-3 loss. Seattle’s defense stole the show, holding Shanahan’s offense to just 173 total yards. It was the lowest regular-season score since the coach took over in 2017. While things clicked offensively against Philly, fighting Seattle’s defense could still be challenging. Speaking of defense, the Niners are keeping the door open for linebacker Fred Warner’s return.

After Steve Young’s remarks, Fred Warner hints at a return

Fred Warner hinted on Wednesday that he could return as soon as Saturday, despite still recovering from a fractured and dislocated right ankle. His announcement came just a day after San Francisco opened the 21-day practice window for him. Meanwhile, Shanahan’s early statement suggested the team took the step while keeping a possible NFC Championship contest in mind.

Warner participated in Wednesday’s practice in a limited capacity and even spoke to the press. It was his first media interaction since sustaining the leg injury in October last year. 

“We’re taking it day by day,” he said. “I think they said last week they weren’t going to open my window, and then my window is now open. So yeah, we’re just taking it day by day.”

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However, he still needs to clear multiple medical steps before the Niners can move him to the active roster. So, playing this week against the Seahawks may be taking things too far for now. Still, the final decision will depend on how his ankle responds over the next few days. Warner’s comeback to the defense carries more weight, especially after the team lost Kittle on the other side of the ball.

The linebacker made his presence felt even without full contact during Tuesday’s walk-through, with the coach praising his energy. The 49ers will practice on Thursday again before heading to Seattle on Friday. Currently, the Seahawks lead with an overall record of 32-24. But San Francisco will look to chip away at that edge with a big road win.