Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel kick off 49ers-Browns pregame scuffle

It’s not exactly clear how the tension between the two sides got started. Videos from the Browns’ stadium press box show the two sides already gathered and close to one another, as if each group was already preparing for a confrontation. 

While Brandon Aiyuk was in the face of some Browns players clapping, it was Deebo Samuel that seemed to pop things off. After Browns safety Juan Thornhill bumped Aiyuk, Samuel retaliated with a big shove that caused players from both sides to rush over to the action. Niners offensive tackle Trent Williams had the biggest initial impact, shoving multiple Browns players out of the way, though that did little to mediate any conflict. Cleveland and San Francisco players then got in one another’s faces. It looked like they were exchanging certain pleasantries, though the occasional shove was thrown.

Coaches, more level-headed players and officials then got into the middle of the two teams to separate before anything worthy of a fine, or at least anything else, could happen.

The national broadcast was able to capture some of this scuffle. Fox Sports analyst Jimmy Johnson called this a mistake on the Browns’ end during the pregame show: “This is the worst thing that could happen to Cleveland. Don’t poke the bear.”

Naturally, the tension didn’t subside once the feuding sides were separated. As the 49ers headed into the locker room tunnel, Browns players stared down their opponents with a line of officials separating the two.

Sunday’s matchup had all the makings of a trap game between the Niners being heavy favorites, the team’s undefeated record and Cleveland missing starting quarterback Deshaun Watson with a shoulder injury, leaving journeyman backup PJ Walker to start. While risky, if there was one way San Francisco was going to show it wasn’t scared of this game, it would be through these sorts of pregame shenanigans.