49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw has been suspended for one game without pay for unsportsmanlike conduct in Sunday’s win over the Seattle Seahawks.
It happened with 6:30 left in the first half. Greenlaw hit Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold late and out of bounds. He then got into a skirmish with Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV, in which he head-butted Jones, who wasn’t wearing a helmet.
Here’s how the play unfolded. Greenlaw chased Darnold as he scrambled toward Seattle’s sideline. Darnold picked up 5 yards, stepped onto the white paint, and took a hit from Greenlaw as they headed toward Seattle’s bench. A number of Seahawks surrounded Greenlaw straight away, and he and Jones traded words. Greenlaw, still wearing his helmet, then leaned in and made contact with Jones’ face.
Here is the play that resulted in 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw being suspended for next Monday night’s game vs. the Commanders (📺 @NFLonFOX): https://t.co/7gnQYbBixb
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 12, 2026
According to a league statement, Greenlaw violated Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which covers “any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.”
Unless an appeal succeeds, he’ll miss the Oct. 19 game against the Washington Commanders and be eligible to return to the active roster on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Sources told ESPN that he is appealing, which the collective bargaining agreement allows. According to the NFL, the hearings officer would be Derrick Brooks, Jordy Nelson, Ron Rivera or James Thrash.
After Sunday’s 32-29 win in Seattle, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said he hadn’t yet spoken to Greenlaw about the incident, but that the conversation would happen Monday. “We just celebrated there,” Shanahan said. “We’ll clean that stuff up. He knows he’s got to be smarter.”
Fred Warner saw it happening from across the field but couldn’t get to the sideline in time to pull Greenlaw out of the fray. “I tried to get there as fast as I could,” Warner said. “I was too far away. He’s helpless in that situation. He’s all by himself on their sideline. Of course, they’re trying to gang up on him and good on them for baiting him into doing something. But we know we got to be smart in all those situations … It’s just an unfortunate situation.”
Rookie Jaden Dugger moved from strongside linebacker to Greenlaw’s weakside spot and finished with nine tackles and a sack. “Losing a great player and just emotionally our team feels him, for our guys not to waver at all, Dugger did a great job stepping it up,” Shanahan said. “It was huge.”
It’s not Greenlaw’s first run-in with the league. This is his second one-game suspension in as many years. As a Denver Broncos player last season, he was suspended for one game for unsportsmanlike conduct after running toward referee Brad Allen and, according to the ruling, “verbally threatened him.” Sunday’s ejection was the third of his career. He was disqualified for a late hit on Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in 2022 and for a similar sideline dustup against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. Last week, the NFL also fined him $11,941 for unsportsmanlike conduct after he repeatedly yelled at Denver’s sideline and coach Sean Payton throughout the game.
