"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."
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers GM John Lynch sends clear message on Brandon Aiyuk's status
Officially, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains on the San Francisco 49ers' roster, albeit on the reserve/left squad list. Unofficially, Aiyuk has nothing to do with the team at this point. General manager John Lynch made that clear on Monday. Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay... -
Former 49ers star delivers blunt criticism of Brandon Aiyuk
Most San Francisco 49ers fans may have forgotten about Brandon Aiyuk until NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco asked general manager John Lynch about the wide receiver this week. Lynch's comments suggest the 49ers aren't thinking much about Aiyuk either, despite the disgruntled... -
How 49ers' Mike Evans is inspiring Brock Purdy to play his best football in 2026
Wide receiver Mike Evans joined the San Francisco 49ers in March, bringing with him an impressive résumé that includes 11 consecutive seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards. As Evans enters his 13th NFL season, the veteran wideout is already inspiring his... -
Will Jed York regain his leadership role with the 49ers?
There is a pretty big question hanging over the San Francisco 49ers right now, and it has nothing to do with Brock Purdy, Kyle Shanahan, the new defense, or the roster. Instead, it's about the owner and who will be leading the team in the future. What exactly is Jed York's...