49ers Coach Kyle Shanahan Puts His Foot Down on Recent Practice Brawls
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan wants his players going right up to the line, but he doesn’t want them engaging in physical brawls, as reported by NFL.
In response to Niners players exchanging punches — most notably linebacker Fred Warner and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk — at Tuesday’s practice, Shanahan let it be known Friday that he wants his players to be tough, to be physical, to even be “irritants,” but he doesn’t want them throwing hands.
“I want everyone challenging each other,” Shanahan said Friday, via team transcript. “I don’t care how much crap each other talk. I don’t care how close they get to fighting. They can do whatever they want to get themselves going and being as intense as they want and bring the best out of each other, which happens a lot that way. And it’s the same on the field, but once you throw a punch, you get ejected or you get a penalty. And we pride ourselves on, I want people to be irritants. I want people to get as close as they can to all that stuff. I want people to get right on the line where they’re about to black out. But you can’t black out on football or you’ll cost your team, but I love doing that to other people.”
Much of the discourse Tuesday stemmed from Warner admittedly trying to push Aiyuk. With Aiyuk standing up for himself, it eventually led to a brawl.
