49ers Eject Dre Greenlaw After Headbutt on Seahawks Sideline

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw was ejected during a divisional game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, October 11, 2026, after headbutting Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones IV on the sideline. The incident followed a late hit on quarterback Sam Darnold in the second quarter, forcing San Francisco to continue the contest without one of its starting defensive players. According to USA Today, Greenlaw received a 15-yard personal foul with 6 minutes, 23 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Darnold had scrambled for five yards and was moving out of bounds when Greenlaw delivered an additional shove. The play ended near Seattle's sideline, where Seahawks players approached Greenlaw to defend their quarterback. Greenlaw then struck Jones with his head while Jones was not wearing a helmet.

Newsday reported that Jones was bleeding after the contact.

San Francisco held a 14-10 lead when the incident occurred. The ejection stemmed from the confrontation with Jones rather than the original late-hit penalty, according to USA Today.

The NFL introduced a rule for the 2026 season that allows league officials in New York to participate in decisions to disqualify players for flagrant conduct, including incidents that do not draw a penalty flag during the game. Under Rule 19-2 of the league handbook, league personnel may consult with on-field officials when assessing potential ejections for football-related and non-football-related acts. Sports coverage from Yahoo Sports reported that the league's intervention led to Greenlaw's removal from the game. His departure left the 49ers without a starting linebacker during a road matchup against a division rival.

The ejection adds to Greenlaw's disciplinary history. Newsday reported that he was previously disqualified following a sideline altercation involving Philadelphia Eagles head of security Dom DiSandro in 2023 and a helmet-to-helmet hit on Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in 2022. Greenlaw also received a one-game suspension during the previous season while playing for Denver after berating an official following a victory over the New York Giants. Newsday further reported that he was fined $11,941 for taunting the Broncos' sideline during a win the week before the Seattle game.

Greenlaw returned to San Francisco in 2026 after playing for the Denver Broncos in 2025. According to Newsday, he recorded 37 tackles through his first five games of the season.