Practice fights are a common sight across the NFL this time of year with training camp kicking into full swing, and Monday's practice brought the first skirmish of the 2023 camp for the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers practiced in pads for the first time this training camp on Monday, and with that came an increase in physicality. One play in particular led to a fight between multiple players. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the fight began after running back Elijah Mitchell caught a pass and was thrown to the ground by linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. The fight led to a boost in practice intensity, according to 95.7 The Game, with players such as linebacker Dre Greenlaw, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, and safety Tashaun Gipson getting chippy the rest of the way.
49ers offensive lineman Aaron Banks, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and defensive tackle Arik Armstead met with reporters following practice, with each of them giving some thoughts on the fight. Banks said scuffles like the one that took place Monday are par for the course when the intensity gets raised at practice.
"I mean, you go four days with no pads and then put the pads on, things build up," Banks said. "It's football and guys are physical, and they want to go hit and play hard and play physical, and that's just sometimes part of the game, and I think we can control it a little bit and still get that good work in, but it is what it is."
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had a message for the players after the skirmish, which according to Armstead served as a reminder that it's important to keep the big picture in mind and not let practice fights get out of control to the point where someone gets hurt.
"It's a physical sport. Things like that are going to happen, guys are going to get into it," Armstead said. "But the main thing is we all need each other. I can't win without you, they can't win without us. And we all are on this journey together and we're all brothers at the end of the day. So we got to protect each other, find ways to play physical like we have been for many years here, but not take it across the line where we're going to lose somebody.
"We all need each other, so there's that fine line of bringing that intensity but not hurting one another."
Armstead was among those seen trying to calm the nerves of other players. He carried a similar message as Shanahan, saying that the team needs everyone healthy in order to win and make the environment around the team a happy one.
"We have pads on. We're all grown men, so we can handle it," Armstead said. "But like I said, we all need each other to win. All our families are reliant on each other. Winning brings happiness to everyone involved in the organization, in our life, family. It just makes things way smoother, way better, way more happy. So we need everyone to win games, so we got to find a way to continue to bring that intensity but protect one another, which we have done throughout these years. First day of pass stuff gets a little dicey."
Monday's practice was far from the first time this group of players got testy with one another at practice and it won't be the last. But, as long as everyone walks away unharmed and carries on practice as expected, they'll all be water under the bridge.
"It's football," Lenoir said. "I mean, we all love each other. We are brothers. We all got one goal. It's just first day in pads, everybody happy, juiced up, just a lot of emotion."
