San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw will be given the Dwight Clark Legacy Award , and another linebackerbelieves Greenlaw is very deserving of it. Fred Warner “Dwight’s teammates had great respect for him, and we feel the same way about Dre. His inspiring play is acknowledged both on and off the field,” Warner stated
via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco on Thursday “Since we drafted him in 2019, he’s been like a brother to me. I've always said I owe a lot to Dre Greenlaw for making me the player I am. He doesn't seek praise but shows up every day to play the game he loves,” Warner added..
The yearly award, named after the late 49ers wide receiver known for
, is given to a player who best represents Clark’s team spirit and camaraderie from the previous season, according to Maiocco. Clark played for the 49ers from 1979 to 1987 and contributed to the team winning two Super Bowls. He passed away from ALS in 2018. “The Catch”Greenlaw, who will be honored on May 16, had a strong season with the 49ers, making 120 tackles, 1.5 sacks in the regular season, and two interceptions in the playoffs. He suffered an Achilles tear in the Super Bowl.
Earlier recipients of the award include Warner in 2023 and tight end
George Kittle in 2021, the first year of the award. Former 49ers defensive lineman Arik Armstead also received the award in 2022, but he now plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars Dre Greenlaw Making Progress on Injury Front.
Greenlaw may provide an update on his injury progress on May 16 as stated by Maiocco. Currently, there's been an update from general manager
and a promising take from Dr. Kenneth Jung, who has worked on similar NFL injuries. John Lynch Dre has mentioned he plans to return by Week 1. I wouldn't put it past Dre, but we need to be cautious. Possibly a PUP [Physically Unable to Perform list] scenario,” Lynch
told reporters on March 25 Greenlaw had surgery on February 15..
Jung informed The San Francisco Chronicle that Greenlaw has a genuine chance to return to the field by Week 1. “We can confidently inform [patients] that at six months, that’s a reasonable amount of time to be back,” Jung said.
Jung works for
Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. He previously had involvement in the sixth-month Achilles tear recovery by Los Angeles Rams Cam Akers, a former running back, in 2021. “It’s about regaining that confidence, especially with an Achilles,” Jung said. “In the back of their mind, they remember that pop in their leg. And it’s about being able to trust that leg again to push off and explode off it. It involves eliminating that hesitation, so they're confident they can plant their foot in the ground and go.”
49ers Could Alleviate Dre Greenlaw Injury in Draft
The 49ers hosted Kentucky linebacker
Trevin Wallace for a visit on Tuesday according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport Wallace tallied 80 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and an interception for the Wildcats last season. The 49ers might draft him to bolster their linebacker depth if Greenlaw isn't ready by Week 1..
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Drew Greenlaw is set to receive the Dwight Clark Legacy Award, and fellow linebacker Fred Warner believes Greenlaw is “more than deserving” of the honor.
