Ward responds comically bluntly to 49ers’ canceled joint training sessions

Ward responds with comical bluntness to 49ers’ canceled joint workouts originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s safe to say Charvarius Ward isn’t disappointed with the 49ers’ canceled joint practice with the New Orleans Saints in Irvine this week.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan made the decision earlier this week after seeing an increasing number of injuries within his squad during training camp.

When asked on Wednesday if he was disappointed with the ruling, Ward responded very matter-of-factly:

“No, not at all.”

Now, just over two weeks into the 49ers’ training camp, Ward appears to have found a good rhythm in practice and improving his performance against his teammates.

After all, it’s hard to deny that he prefers the relative comfort of Santa Clara, given the frequent skirmishes and conflicts that come with joint training sessions and the extra days he spends on the road.

“I just want to stay in my comfort zone,” Ward explained. “We can focus on ourselves and get better and compete with each other. I think we would have done just as good a job down there as we did here.

“I just like being home, being here.”

Given the 49ers’ roster of stars, Ward isn’t concerned about the need for added competition or excitement that joint practices might bring.

“I feel like we have some of the best intensity drills in the NFL,” he said. “I’ve been on a couple teams — Kansas City obviously practices really hard, but I feel like we match the intensity that they practice.

“We’re going to push ourselves every day in training to keep getting better. We’re measuring ourselves, so I think that’s the best thing for us, in my opinion.”

San Francisco defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen also had no problem with the decision.

“The decision was about what’s best for the team to get ready for Week 1,” Sorensen told reporters after training camp ended Wednesday. “I just think it was the right decision, and how (Shanahan) explained it to everybody was exactly how he felt.”

So, at a time when San Francisco is in conflict with a star player in Brandon Aiyuk, there at least seems to be enough harmony with this move from the organization.

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