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Linebacker Dre Greenlaw Talks Approach to Final Stretch of the Regular Season

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw is soaking in every moment he gets to spend on the football field in 2024.

The sixth-year pro recently completed a 10-month comeback from an Achilles injury he suffered in the second quarter of Super Bowl LVIII. After 305 days of working tirelessly on his rehab and fitness, Greenlaw was activated from the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list in time to start the 49ers Week 15 matchup versus the Los Angeles Rams.

"I missed getting my anger and frustration out," Greenlaw said with a smile following his 2024 regular season debut. "I mean, I just like going to hit people sometimes... I miss everything about (football) - the fans, going out there at Levi's® Stadium, playing next to Fred Warner, that feeling of playing next to him, everything about it."

Greenlaw played a total of 30 snaps, almost all of which came in the first and second quarter, before coming out of Thursday night's game. He closed out the contest with eight tackles, good for the second-most tackles on the team, and looked like a force out on the field as helped San Francisco hold the Rams to 89 yards of total offense in the first half.

Players discussed his presence and physicality he brought to the field in his return.

"It was great to see him. I love having him (out there)," defensive lineman Nick Bosa said. "He's probably my favorite teammate to ever play with, college or pros. He's an absolute dog. He was showing it. To come after a year of not playing and look like that is pretty impressive."

"It meant everything (to have Greenlaw back)," Warner said. "We shared a moment before we went out, through the tunnel - everything that he has gone through in his journey with rehab and thinking about that moment in the Super Bowl and to finally go out there and be with him again - it meant everything.

"And, he looked like Dre Greenlaw from the moment we started."

Following the conclusion of the contest, head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Greenlaw experienced some soreness and fatigue which is what ultimately kept him out of the second half against LA. The knee has since checked out, and Greenlaw returned to practice in a limited capacity to prep for the team's upcoming trip to Miami.

The veteran linebacker is looking to use these final three weeks to get back to being himself post-injury.

"I'm just excited to play with my teammates, play with the guys I came here with," Greenlaw said on Wednesday. "I'm just trying to take advantage of the moment, the time I do have left and have fun with it."

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