49ers players reactions to Dre Greenlaw's injury during Super Bowl 58 is tough to watch

San Francisco 49ers linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw have become the best linebacker tandem in the league. Warner, a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and Greenlaw, a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, have developed a close bond that has helped them flourish on the field.

"I think it kind of comes naturally," Greenlaw told NBC's Matt Maiocco before the Super Bowl.

"It's not something that's got to be forced at all," Warner added. "You just start working with each other ... and before you know it ... you know you have a good feel for each other."

Warner has already become a three-time All-Pro, but Greenlaw's quiet ascension has earned him the nickname "Big Play Dre" among his teammates. During his five years in San Francisco, Greenlaw has shown a propensity for making game-changing plays in big moments, such as his two interceptions that fueled the Niners' comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers In the NFC Divisional Round.

But, in the biggest game of their lives, Warner had to step onto the field alone. Greenlaw went down with a torn Achilles in the second quarter of San Francisco's 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I'm sick to my stomach," Warner told reporters after the game. "I'm still sick. I see him at halftime, and I'm crying because I was just so hurt for him and obviously wanting to win this for him. Sickening. ... I saw him at halftime, saw him, obviously, towards the end of the game when he was out there on the sideline. Horrible." 

Dre Greenlaw's injury evoked heart-wrenching reactions from 49ers and Chiefs players

Inside the NFL released a clip that showed reactions from both the 49ers and the Chiefs during Greenlaw's injury.

Warner, who was running onto the field with his teammate at the time of the injury, said he knew exactly what happened as soon as he saw it — Greenlaw had been playing through an Achilles injury for the past several weeks.

"Fred Warner's reaction says it all," two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long said on Inside the NFL. "It's not only his guy, but it's like one of the best players on the defense. That tandem is such a game-changer. It gave the Chiefs a little bit of air, you know, a little bit of breathing room on first and second down. He's great in the run, in the box, but he's also good in coverage. And [linebacker] Oren Burks, who has really started two games this year ... there's a big drop off there. Nothing against the guy, but Dre Greenlaw is a difference maker."

The duo presented a matchup nightmare for opposing offenses throughout the season. Their sideline-to-sideline range and ability to drop into pass coverage allowed the 49ers' defense to take an amorphous shape that disoriented opposing quarterbacks.

"I know they're boys, but Fred Warner's upset and also Shanahan because now the best linebacker duo in the NFL is not together for the biggest game of the season," former linebacker Channing Crowder said.

While it's always awful to see a player get hurt, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had to feel some relief. Up until that point, Kansas City's offense had been completely shut out on the scoreboard, and they hadn't sustained a drive longer than five plays.

"You see Patrick make note of it to [offensive coordinator] Matt Nagy," former quarterback Tim Tebow added. "I mean, that changes a lot of things, that bring some hope to them, because that defense was, I mean, giving them the business, and now it changes some of the play calling. He's gonna talk to Matt and be like, 'Hey, we've got a matchup problem now that we can exploit.'"

It's tough to imagine that "Big Play Dre" wouldn't have made his impact felt in a game that came down to the wire. Perhaps the game would have been different if Greenlaw continued to play — but then again, that's football.