49ers Excited for Upcoming Joint Practice With Texans

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — After spending nearly two weeks only lining up against teammates, the San Francisco 49ers are looking forward to the opportunity to hit someone else for a change.

The Niners will hold a joint practice on Friday with the Houston Texans before the two teams open the exhibition season two days later at Levi's Stadium.

While these sessions often come with increased intensity and occasional fights, 49ers coach Chip Kelly said he does not believe his players will cross any lines.

"They understand that you have to play with emotion, not let emotion play with you," Kelly said. "It's the same rules that you have in a game. If you get in a fight in a game, you're not going to be around. So, it's the same thing. We're trying to get a good quality practice. We're not trying to turn it into a WWE wrestling match."

That has not always been the case. Two years ago, the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys got into a few scuffles in a joint practice in Oxnard that spilled over into the fans on the side of the field. One Raiders fan even tried to hit a Dallas defender with a replica helmet.

Niners rookie guard Joshua Garnett said it's important to strike a balance between being aggressive and physical, while staying under control.