On Tuesday, things got snippy between San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and linebacker Fred Warner. The two were involved in scuffles during practice, forcing head coach Kyle Shanahan to pause the session and address his team.
"It's hot today, so tempers flaring today," Aiyuk said after practice. "But it's football. Football season's here. ... The defense came out here with a great intensity the last couple of days, so we've got to wake the offense up one way or another."
Aside from the heated on-field interactions with one of the league's best linebackers, Aiyuk has impressed his defensive teammates during training camp. One defender went as far as to say that, of (almost) all of his 49ers teammates, Aiyuk is having the best camp.
"The Trey and B.A. connection is crazy right now," Ward said of Aiyuk and his locker neighbor, quarterback Trey Lance. "They've been making plays on us."
As for Tuesday's fights, Ward loved seeing the energy from his teammates.
"I'm just saying, [Aiyuk]'s an aggressive guy, but we just need that every day," Ward said. "Right now, he's having an outstanding camp. I feel like he's having the best camp out of everybody on the team, offense and defense."
There's one exception, of course.
"OK, besides [Nick] Bosa," Ward admitted. "Bosa's going to be Bosa. But I'm just saying, B.A. is taking his game to another level. It's crazy. I didn't win a one-on-one rep with him yet. I want to say last year, there was a couple of reps that I won against him, but not this year. I'm going to get him soon, though."
Ward believes Aiyuk has gained more confidence compared to last offseason, something the safety feels comes from the 49ers' head coach, Kyle Shanahan.
"He's passionate about football, but you'll see he'll try to take coaching to the field because he goes out there and he works," Ward explained. "He tries to work, and he tries to correct his mistakes from the film room and take it on the field."
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