The San Francisco 49ers had a linebacker reunion this offseason by signing Dre Greenlaw. Fans have fond memories of Greenlaw and Fred Warner being the enforcers on defense for San Francisco, but one key linebacker is still missing and preventing a full reunion.
Azeez Al-Shaair was overlooked and overshadowed due to Warner and Greenlaw when he was with the 49ers, but he has now gone on to be one of the better linebackers in the game.
His presence is still missed in San Francisco. In a recent profile on Al-Shaair in The Athletic, the article mentions there’s still a chair in the linebackers’ meeting room that is called “Azeez’s seat,” so he certainly left a mark on the team.
Perhaps it is not a coincidence the defense has never quite returned to its 2022 form when it allowed the least yards per game of any NFL team. Having Warner, Greenlaw, and Al-Shaair at the heart of that defense was special, and a hole was left when he departed and joined the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
Since he left and got out of the shadow of Warner and Greenlaw, Al-Shaair has proven that he can be the primary linebacker on a defense. He had a great season with the Titans and was one of the NFL leaders in tackles. He has gone on to be an integral part of the Houston Texans defense and even earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2025.
It hasn’t come without controversy, as a huge hit on Trevor Lawrence back in 2024 led to a suspension. Al-Shaair plays hard, and it seems pretty clear he and Greenlaw are cut from the same cloth and sometimes go beyond what referees deem acceptable.
Unfortunately for the Niners, a reunion with Al-Shaair doesn’t seem likely anytime soon. He’s under contract for the next few seasons, and they’d probably have to make a ridiculous offer to land him in a trade.
At least the 49ers have Warner and Greenlaw together again. The big fear is how healthy they can be. Warner has been an iron man in his career except for last season when he broke his ankle. Greenlaw has always dealt with injuries, and it seems likely he will have to miss time at some point next season.
Perhaps Tatum Bethune can slide into that Al-Shaair role next season. He’s the one who now sits in “Azeez’s chair” during meetings and had to step up in a big way last season when the Niners linebackers were decimated by injury.
The Niners need their defense to be strong if they want to make a playoff run next season, so they’ll be trying to recreate what they had with the three-headed monster of Warner, Greenlaw, and Al-Shaair from a few years ago.