The Seattle Seahawks got an unexpected swing in their NFC West showdown with the San Francisco 49ers when one of San Francisco’s most important defenders lost his composure on the Seattle sideline.
49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw faced ejection in the second quarter Sunday after a sequence that began with a hit on Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold near the boundary.
Greenlaw followed Darnold out of bounds and was flagged for unnecessary roughness before the situation escalated.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson reported that Greenlaw got the ax after “a bunch of pushing and shoving” broke out on the Seahawks’ sideline.
He was flagged for a late hit on Sam Darnold out of bounds. It happened on the Seahawks’ sideline and a bunch of pushing and shoving ensued.
During the confrontation, Greenlaw — still wearing his helmet — headbutted Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones, who did not have his helmet on.
He was flagged for a late hit on Sam Darnold out of bounds. It happened on the Seahawks’ sideline and a bunch of pushing and shoving ensued.
The officials disqualified Greenlaw, sending one of the 49ers’ top defensive playmakers to the locker room in the middle of a divisional game that came into Sunday with San Francisco at 4-0 and Seattle at 3-1.
Greenlaw Ejection Changes the Matchup for Seahawks
Greenlaw’s exit removed a physical, experienced presence from the middle of San Francisco’s defense at a time when the Seahawks aimed to find traction against an unbeaten opponent.
The veteran linebacker is coming off perhaps his most emotional performance of the young season. Greenlaw piled up a team-high 12 tackles and forced a fumble in the 49ers’ 24-14 victory over the Denver Broncos, via the San Francisco Chronicle.
That game meant a fair amount for Greenlaw following his one-year stint in Denver in 2025. He later said his motivation was disrespect from Broncos coach Sean Payton following his departure.
The edge Greenlaw plays with has long been part of his value. Against Seattle, however, it crossed a line at a costly time.
Losing Greenlaw from the opposing defense creates a clear personnel advantage for the Seahawks.
Seattle can attack the second level without one of San Francisco’s fastest and most aggressive tacklers on the field, while the 49ers must reorganize their linebacker rotation for the remainder of the afternoon.
Greenlaw Has History With Sideline Ejections
Sunday didn’t mark the first time Greenlaw left a game in the wake of a sideline confrontation.
In December 2023, officials ejected Greenlaw during a road game against the Philadelphia Eagles after an altercation involving Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro. The sequence began after Greenlaw drew an unnecessary roughness penalty on a tackle near Philadelphia’s bench.
NFL.com reported that DiSandro stepped into the confrontation and made contact with Greenlaw while separating players. Greenlaw then reached over the developing scrum and made contact with DiSandro’s face. Greenlaw was later fined $10,927 for the hit that preceded the altercation.
The circumstances Sunday were different, but the result was familiar: Greenlaw left the field early after an exchange on the opponent’s sideline.
This time, the flashpoint came after contact with Darnold and escalated when Greenlaw went helmet-to-bare-head with Jones.
For Seattle, the larger concern was Darnold emerging from the play OK and continuing the game. The added consequence was significant. In a matchup carrying early weight in the NFC West, the Seahawks watched one of San Francisco’s most disruptive defenders take himself out of the equation.
Seahawks Watch 49ers Star Get Ejected After Headbutt