The Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers had a scrappy joint practice on Aug. 11 in Santa Clara.
The Titans offense and 49ers defense were especially chippy during team practice periods during several points after plays.
"As y'all could see, the energy was hot from the first play," Carnell Tate said.
Starting left tackle Dan Moore and depth offensive tackle Austin Deculus was each thrown out of practice in different scuffles throughout the 11-on-11 periods.
Titans coach Robert Saleh has implemented a rule during training camp about throwing punches. Jeffery Simmons was kicked out of practice after throwing a punch in a scuffle with JC Latham on Aug. 4.
Starting
quarterback Cam Ward stood by his linemen.
"I let them do them. They're right for what they did," Ward said after the joint practice. "If I was them, I'd do the same thing they did. They both play with a chip on their shoulder. Even when they did do that, the team rallied behind them. I'm with them 100%. If they did that Thursday, we're with it Thursday. They'll learn from it. The coaches already handled it with them. But it's another moment for us to play as a team."
Ward is always willing to trash talk with the opponent and did so with several 49ers defenders during the joint practice, including All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner. And while the Titans' starting quarterback wasn't directly involved in much of the physicality, he didn't run away from the jawing and jostling even as offensive coordinator Brian Daboll told him to stay out of the muck.
"(Daboll) knows I'm part of the guys," Ward said. "I'm kinda hard-headed."
Tate was also involved in a heated moment after getting hit hard following a catch early in team, which got the attention of his teammates and produced another fracas.
"No matter who it was over there, we all were going to fly for each other," Tate said.
The Titans and 49ers will have about 54 hours to cool off before the Aug. 13 preseason opener in Santa Clara in which Saleh plans to play "everyone" for more than a series.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Two Titans OL kicked out of practice for fighting during scrappy joint session vs 49ers
