On Monday, a huge fight broke out during the San Francisco 49ers practice that involved many players and a lot of punches thrown.
After a hit from Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles on Elijah Mitchell at the end of a run, a fight broke out involving several players from both sides of the ball. The melee carried from one practice field to the next and was followed by a full team huddle after the skirmish.
While training camp fights are nothing new, the 49ers one was way over the limit. Most times, it involves two players going after each other and the rest of the team separating the conflict. A full brawl involving only one team is something that you don’t see everyday.
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Punches were thrown and helmets were ripped, with wide receiver Tee Martin clearly upset and seen without a helmet once the fight broke out.
49ers training camp fight: why are training camp fights common in the NFL?
Once a skirmish breaks out in camp, there’s no reason to panic. It’s obviously not the ideal situation, but everyone understands that it can happen and it shouldn’t be a big deal for anybody involved.
Training camp is an emotional time for plenty of players, as there are 90 players on every roster but only 53 will make it. Every rep is important and everybody is playing with their hearts upon their sleeves. With football being a contact sport, it’s natural to see fights breaking out every now and then.
Every team deals with it in their own way. In the 49ers’ case, for example, Kyle Shanahan called for a full huddle and practice resumed. On the other hand, when a fight happens involving the New England Patriots, whether it’s two of their own players or against another team in joint practices, Bill Belichick calls it a day for the players involved.
There have been multiple fights reported during the 2023 camps. The New York Jets had one last week, while the Cleveland Browns had to deal with one on Sunday’s practice. Both these teams start their season Thursday with the Hall of Fame Game.