Jerry Rice loves his Justin Bieber

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle joined KNBR after Tuesday's practice and started the conversation by praising a defensive teammate—Jimmie Ward. Ward might be the most underrated player on a defense boasting stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. The 49ers tight end knows how valuable the veteran safety is for the team, though. "I said [in a previous interview] Jimmie Ward might be one of the most underrated players in the NFL," Kittle said on the Papa & Lund show. "... When it's man coverage, you don't want Jimmie Ward on you because he's quick, he's physical, and he's really, really fast. He's got great hands, and he knows how to hold without getting holding calls. He's very good at that. "I'm very blessed to be able to go against

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

Brian Griese joined the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, leaving ESPN to be the team's quarterbacks coach and working with last year's No. 3 overall pick, Trey Lance. He was among the assistant coaches who spoke with reporters on Thursday. "The other day, I was trying to think of what I would be doing now if I was still working in television, and I was so thankful to be here," Griese said. "Let's just put it that way." Griese, 47, spent 11 seasons as an NFL quarterback, so he can advise Lance on the challenges he might face while embarking on his first season as a starter. "I think that some of the things I experienced can be helpful," Griese said. "I hope they can be helpful

Not everything was perfect for the San Francisco 49ers in their 28-21 win over the Green Bay Packers on Friday night, but there's no doubt the vibe coming out of the win was mostly positive. Trey Lance and the other 49ers quarterbacks played well in the win, going a combined 15-of-22 for 212 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. A number of rookie players got extended reps, and several of them did a fine job with their opportunities. Following the game, head coach Kyle Shanahan talked about those issues and more, while Lance, rookie cornerback Samuel Womack and wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud were among those to meet with reporters. Here's a rundown of some of the key issues discussed, including what Shanahan thinks of Womack's performance to this point,