San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan had a wild experience leading the Wildcats FFC recently. He coached superstar Joe Burrow during the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles. The event brought together elite NFL athletes and famous internet personalities like Logan Paul and IShowSpeed.
Joe Burrow Leaves Oscars Afterparty With Alix Earle
Joe Burrow Leaves Oscars Afterparty With Alix Earle (Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images)
Shanahan quickly realized that Burrow does not have an off switch when competing. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback treated the exhibition like a playoff game from the start. His intensity was so high that Shanahan felt the need to intervene for safety reasons.
The coach actually pulled his star player aside to tell him to lower the stakes. “I grabbed him one time and I’m like ‘dude, just chill out, man,'” Shanahan recalled. He wanted to ensure his franchise quarterback stayed healthy during the charity tournament.
Kyle Shanahan on coaching Joe Burrow in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic:
“I grabbed him one time and I’m like ‘dude, just chill out, man.'”
“I remember in our first practice, Logan Paul ran full speed to try and grab his flag and he made a move, and they kinda collided. I’m… pic.twitter.com/Ex4EvOmBAI
— SleeperBengals (@SleeperBengals) April 3, 2026
Things got even crazier when YouTuber Logan Paul entered the defensive secondary during a drill. Paul showed zero fear while chasing the Pro Bowl passer across the grass field. He sprinted at maximum velocity to secure a defensive stop against the legendary quarterback.
The two stars ended up crashing into each other during the heated practice play. Shanahan watched the collision with total shock as his primary player hit the ground. He could not believe a social media star was actually tackling his elite starting quarterback.
The 49ers leader was stunned by the lack of traditional football structure on the field. “I’m just sitting there like ‘oh my god, we got YouTubers running into quarterbacks,'” Shanahan stated. He feared the viral moment might result in a serious football injury.
Joe Burrow shows elite competitive drive against professional flag football players
Joe Burrow did not let the collision with Paul slow down his pursuit of the trophy. He continued to lead the Wildcats alongside fellow quarterback Jayden Daniels throughout the entire afternoon. The squad faced tough competition from Team USA and the Founders team during the event.
The tournament served as a major showcase for the sport before the 2028 Olympics. Fans at BMO Stadium cheered as the NFL stars adjusted to the noncontact rules. Burrow proved that his skill set translates well to the smaller field and faster pace.
Team USA eventually won the round-robin tournament by relying on their specialized flag football experience. They defeated the superstar NFL rosters to claim the first championship in event history. Darrell Doucette took home the MVP trophy for his incredible performance in the final.
Shanahan survived the stressful weekend without any of his players suffering significant health issues. He now has a hilarious story about the time a YouTuber almost leveled Joe Burrow. The event successfully merged the worlds of professional sports and digital entertainment for fans.