Fred Warner Explains Training Camp Rivalry That Led to Scuffle With Brandon Aiyuk

There was no shortage of excitement at San Francisco 49ers training camp on Tuesday. No, this isn't about Trey Lance taking the first-team reps as Jimmy Garoppolo worked on individual drills. This is about the scuffle that broke out between linebacker Fred Warner and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

San Francisco 49ers Training Camp

It all started when Aiyuk caught a pass and took on what he deemed as excessive contact from Warner on the tackle. He got in the veteran's face almost immediately, but that disagreement was quickly broken up. Warner then popped Marcus Johnson on a crossing route and brought on a fight.

Aiyuk wasn't even on the field for that play and came running in from the sideline with his fists ready to punch. Warner was in the same position before other players came in to shut it all down. It was explained over the weekend that Warner and Aiyuk have had a growing rivalry all summer.

“Specifically with Brandon, I chose him out. And I’ll say why: I think he’s ready to make that next step into playing at an elite level. I’ve gotten after him a bit … because I know how much he has in him."

- Fred Warner on Brandon Aiyuk

This isn't a one-sided rivalry, either. Aiyuk called Warner "the most annoying player on defense" earlier this offseason. While head coach Kyle Shanahan has to love the intensity, he wasn't happy with what happened. He gave a stern speech on the field following the incident about avoiding unnecessary risks.

It'll be interesting to see if this is something that bleeds into the next practice or was simply a one-time occurrence. For now, the 49ers have odds set at +1600 to win Super Bowl 57, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.