Niners linebacker Fred Warner runs during a joint training camp practice with the Titans on Tuesday in Santa Clara. The teams will meet in a preseason game at Levi’s Stadium on Thursday.
Jeff Chiu/Associated Press
Brock Purdy laced a strike to Deebo Samuel on the very first play from scrimmage. As the whistle blew, a fight broke out on the other field. It was the first of many during a Tuesday joint practice between the San Francisco 49ers and the Tennessee Titans. At least a half-dozen quarrels, ranging from a small scuffle to a crazed scrum, hijacked the first 11-on-11 scrimmaging period.
The 49ers defense was at the scene most often. It did not take long for the situation to seem untenable. Linebacker Fred Warner eventually huddled his guys to tell them that.
“I promise, like we’re not trying to fight and do all this other stuff,” Warner said. “We’re trying to play football and that’s what I had to try and tell the guys early on. I brought everybody together and just told them, ‘We’re not going to get through today if we continue on this path.’”
A pair of players were kicked out of practice, according to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, who expressed uncertainty with the accuracy of the exact number. Only two seemed low. Several punches were thrown at different points. Takedowns resembled the UFC more than the NFL. A handful of plays also ended with tackles to the ground, even though joint practice etiquette calls for thud tackles meant to keep players on their feet after the initial contact.
“At one point, we had a little scuffle going, I look over on the other field, they’re scuffling,” Purdy said, “and I’m sitting back here with Christian McCaffrey and we’re like, ‘Dude.’”
Perhaps the biggest scrum was prompted by 49ers cornerback Renardo Green, who hit-sticked Titans receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. The pop was loud. Players crowded the spot where Robinson touched grass. It was difficult to discern who was doing what. After most of the players dispersed, Titans quarterback Cam Ward had to be held back for a bit.
Subsequent altercations saw blows traded between 49ers linebacker Tatum Bethune and Titans tackle Austin Deculus, who bull-rushed Bethune onto his back, as well as 49ers defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa and Titans tackle Dan Moore Jr.
“You don’t really care about scuffles,” Shanahan said. “You just hate losing guys. The player loses all the reps for the day and then your position’s down (a man) for the whole day.”
Tempers eventually evened out over the course of practice. Trash talk and showmanship continued.
Warner had set the tone within the first few plays, penetrating a gap for a would-be tackle for loss, and letting Ward know about it. They went facemask-to-facemask for a moment. Later, safety Ji’Ayir Brown picked off the former No. 1 overall draft pick’s pass, ran it back until the whistle sounded, and then jaunted over to Ward in a facetious effort to give the football back to him. Ward did not oblige. Another spat followed among players not initially involved.
“I think Cam is one of the unique quarterbacks where he’s not afraid to sit there and play that game with you,” Warner said. “Whether that’s a positive or negative, I think that’s still yet to be seen for their side. We’ll see. But for me, I’m always trying to get the quarterback out of his game. And anytime I’m in that mode, that’s only going to amplify my game.”
• Most 49ers starters will not play in their preseason game against the Titans on Thursday, as is customary under Shanahan.
• Purdy was excellent Tuesday. The fifth-year franchise quarterback did not turn the ball over and instead distributed it all over the field to different players. Wide receivers De’Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson and Samuel received the lion’s share of targets and catches, with Mike Evans limited to mostly individual work in his first practice back from a quad strain.
• Purdy was almost perfect in his red-zone and goal-to-go snaps, completing 4 of 5 passes for three touchdowns, all to different players. He found Robinson wide open across the middle, play-faked to a boot that opened up a routine pass to Samuel, and on 3rd-and-goal connected with blocking tight end Luke Farrell. The tight ends, particularly Jake Tonges and Farrell, have been reliable targets for the 49ers quarterbacks this camp.
• The Titans offense struggled through a two-minute drill to conclude practice. A couple of false starts put them behind the chains. An unsuccessful Hail Mary from near midfield ended things. The 49ers defense, more so the starters, settled in nicely once they got past acting out the opening kickoff to the 2005 version of “The Longest Yard.” Cameras were not allowed during scrimmaging.
• Compared to Stribling, the No. 33 overall pick for the 49ers, Carnell Tate, the No. 4 overall pick for the Titans and first wide receiver taken, appeared to be less of a factor. The 49ers secondary has put together an impressive camp.
• Across from disruptive All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, the 49ers veered their run game to the perimeter a number of times. There wasn’t much room to work in between the tackles. Samuel turned the corner on a couple of carries. Also, a reminder: The 49ers again practiced without their top backs, including McCaffrey (tightness), Kaelon Black (adductor), Jordan James (ribs) and Isaac Guerendo (pec).
• Rookie linebacker Jaden Dugger got some run with the first-team defense at the Raheem Morris-inspired “fever backer” position, defined by the new defensive coordinator as a hybrid position that can resemble a stack linebacker, a “star” or big nickel, and even a defensive end depending on the play call. Drafted in the fifth round as a raw prospect, Dugger’s versatility has caught the attention of coaches and teammates in his first training camp.
• The left guard depth chart Tuesday looked the same as Monday. Robert Jones played with the first unit. Carver Willis backed him up with the second team. And former frontrunner Connor Colby slotted in at second-string right guard.
• Wide receivers Jordan Watkins, Trent Irwin, Junior Bergen and Will Pauling caught the first several punts of a special teams period, in that order. Bergen and Pauling subsequently stayed back for additional reps. Skyy Moore returned punts and kickoffs last year in his lone season with the 49ers. His departure to Green Bay in free agency left behind vacancies in both roles. A former fourth-round draft pick, wideout Jacob Cowing (hip flexor) remains an intriguing candidate in the return game but has been out of practice since Aug. 3.
• Shanahan swapped out his white cast for a black brace on his broken left hand.
The Timber Fire was measured at 2,500 acres in size and was threatening iconic Big Sur locations.
The Timber Fire was measured at 2,500 acres in size and was threatening iconic Big Sur locations.