Mike Shanahan’s football worlds collided over the past 48 hours at UCHealth Training Center.

The former longtime Broncos coach (1995-2008) visited training camp Friday and Saturday for joint practices with the 49ers, coached by his son, Kyle. And dad was all smiles when talking to reporters at team headquarters for the first time since he was fired.

“It’s great to be back,” Shanahan said. “To get a chance to be at this facility — I haven’t been here in 10 years — and to see all the changes and a lot of the people you were here before working with, it’s great to see and be a part of.”

John Elway, Broncos general manager and president of football operations, added: “Mike’s always been a big part of this organization and always will be. It’s nice to have him come back out. In my mind, it was never really closed, but it was nice to get communication back. I’ve played some golf with Mike, too, and told him he was more than welcome to come out here anytime. … I’m glad he’s able to come back and know that this is home for him.”

Over the course of a 10-minute interview, Shanahan spoke on a variety of topics and briefly addressed a surprise report from last December — that Elway considered firing former coach Vance Joseph after the 2017 season and replacing him with Shanahan.

“I had a great conversation with John as everybody knows and it didn’t work out,” Shanahan said. “You know, sometimes it works out for the right reasons.”

Shanahan, who last coached the 2013 Redskins, said he has been “close” to leading an NFL team again in the years since his retirement. Shanahan won Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII with Denver and touts a coaching record of 170-138 (.55). But an NFL return would come with certain stipulations.

“I made the decision a long time ago right when I got fired. If I didn’t get the right job right away where I had a chance to win a Super Bowl, that I was probably going to do what I’m doing; just kind of being a dad and following your son and the (49ers) organization and being a part of it,” Shanahan said.

Shanahan has been a regular at 49ers practices since Kyle was hired in 2017 and grew close with then-quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello, now the Broncos’ first-year offensive coordinator. Shanahan also had extensive experience game-planning against Fangio during his multiple decades as an NFL defensive coordinator.

“I know Vic. I’ve gone against him for 30 years,” Shanahan said. “I know what you’re getting as a football coach and what you’re getting as a man. Players are going to respect him because there is going to be no BS and he is going to say it the way it is. I think he’ll make the right calls on game day.”

So it appears that any public animosity between the Broncos and their legendary former coach has officially been put to rest.

Shanahan spent much of the two joint practices standing solo to process the action from different vantage points. His coaching days appear over. Shanahan’s love for the game? Still strong.

“John has invited me back a number of times over the last couple of years,” Shanahan said. “Then with Vic, knowing him very well and a number of coaches with Scangarello being here, and a number of other people … I thought it was time to get back here. Enjoy the years that we had here and just be a part of it.”