49ers’ Kyle Shanahan says players don’t have to fight to be ‘intense’

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NFL training camps usually contain a fight or two as players have been waiting to get back into the pads for months. 

But there’s a line, and the San Francisco 49ers apparently crossed it on Tuesday. 

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk takes part in drills at the NFL team's practice facility in Santa Clara, California, on July 30, 2022.  (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan halted practice on Tuesday after punches were thrown on two separate occasions. The fights occurred between linebacker Fred Warner and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, forcing Shanahan to call a meeting in the middle of practice. 

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"I love the intensity of it," Shanahan said Friday. "I don't think you have to fight to be intense, though. Scuffles are scuffles, but then they lead to other stuff. I think that's why we've got a guy in protocol, because he took an unnecessary shot on someone, which led to the big fight, and then we had a bunch of haymakers and stuff thrown in there, which only break hands.

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"I think our team is pretty tough. I think we're pretty physical. I think if most probably voted on who would be the most physical team on tape last year, I think we'd win most of that and we didn't get in one fight last year. So, I don't think that totally pertains to toughness."

The second altercation between Warner and Aiyuk occurred after Warner delivered a late hit on wide receiver Marcus Johnson, who wound up in the concussion protocol. 

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan watches as players take part in