The NFL suspended San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw for one game without pay on Monday, one day after he was ejected from the 49ers’ 32-29 win over the Seattle Seahawks. The discipline stems from a second-quarter sideline confrontation in which Greenlaw head-butted Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who was not wearing a helmet.
Greenlaw was initially penalized after hitting Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold late as Darnold moved out of bounds. Seahawks players confronted Greenlaw on the sideline, and the exchange escalated into the action that led officials to eject him. The league cited its sportsmanship rule in announcing the suspension.
The suspension would keep Greenlaw out of San Francisco’s Week 6 game against the Washington Commanders on Monday, Oct. 19. He is eligible to return to the active roster the following day. NFL Network reported that Greenlaw is appealing, so the final availability decision remains subject to that process.
For a 49ers defense trying to maintain continuity, the timing matters. Greenlaw has returned to a prominent role in San Francisco’s linebacker group, and his absence would require the team to redistribute snaps and communication responsibilities against Washington.
