49ers: Warner, Gutierrez, Barrett honor Mexican roots on Monday Night Football

Three 49ers of Mexican descent got their moment to celebrate their heritage Monday night at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Linebacker Fred Warner, offensive tackle Alfredo Gutierrez and defensive end Alex Barrett, carrying Mexican flags, led the 49ers onto the field for the team’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Gutierrez and Barrett are both on the 49ers’ practice squad and inactive for Monday night’s game, but they donned their white team uniforms over their street clothes and raced onto the rain-slicked grass inside Mexico’s famous stadium in the far south of the capital city.

Fred Warner, Alex Barrett and Alfredo Gutierrez with Mexican flags in hand, lead the #49ers out on to the field to LOUD cheers… pic.twitter.com/Wb9feYqU9r

— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) November 22, 2022

Gutierrez, a Tijuana, Mexico native who joined the 49ers in May 2021 via the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, was later seen wiping away tears during the singing of the Mexican national anthem.

Sofía Reyes hace retumbar el Azteca ????
Chequen el sentimiento de Alfredo Gutiérrez ????

????: @ESPNDeportes#MundoNFL #NFLMexicoGame pic.twitter.com/jNNSJAiQn5

— Mundo NFL (@MundoNFL) November 22, 2022

He has not seen regular-season game action but received a game ball after making his NFL preseason debut this summer in Minnesota.

Warner is also honoring his roots with his choice of footwear, too: He’s wearing custom cleats emblazoned with the Mexican flag and the 49ers’ colors, with the messages “Yo soy Fred” and “Hecho en Mexico” written on them.

1 of 1 cleats for a 1 of 1 player ????????????@fred_warner will wear custom pregame cleats on MNF in honor of his Mexican heritage ???? #NFLMexicoGame x @49ersESP pic.twitter.com/RRFbjLuWF2

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 20, 2022

The Mexico City game is the 49ers’ first south of the border since a 2005 loss to these same Cardinals.