Dre Greenlaw Ejected for Headbutt on Helmetless Player

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw was ejected during Sunday’s divisional showdown against the Seattle Seahawks after initiating a sideline scuffle and head-butting helmetless linebacker Ernest Jones IV ^[1]. The incident occurred with 6:30 left in the first half, after Greenlaw delivered a late hit on Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, who had already stepped out of bounds ^[2]. The hit drew a personal foul penalty, prompting a confrontation with several Seahawks players, including Jones, who was not wearing a helmet at the time.

Greenlaw, still wearing his helmet, leaned in and struck Jones in the face, leading to a brief skirmish that officials quickly broke up ^[2]. The play resulted in Greenlaw’s ejection, marking his third career ejection in the NFL. He was previously ejected in 2022 for a late hit on Justin Herbert and in 2023 during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 49ers entered the game ranked among the NFL’s least penalized teams, having committed just 28 penalties for 223 yards through their first four games ^[1]. This game marked their fourth penalty, adding 34 yards to their total. Rookie Jaden Dugger replaced Greenlaw at weakside linebacker, while veteran Luke Gifford took over Dugger’s strong-side role ^[2].

The ejection came just before halftime, and Seattle capitalized by driving into field goal range, cutting the 49ers’ lead to 14-13 ^[1]. However, San Francisco managed a defensive score before the half, extending their lead to 21-13.

Greenlaw had previously played a fiery role in the 49ers’ win over the Denver Broncos, recording 12 tackles and engaging in heated exchanges with Broncos coach Sean Payton ^[1]. That performance earned him an $11,941 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct from the NFL on Saturday. The story was first reported by New York Post and ESPN.