49ers LB Dre Greenlaw ejected after head-butt in Seahawks game

Michael Nowels, The Mercury News on Oct 11, 2026

Published in Football

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Dre Greenlaw, the San Francisco 49ers’ emotional leader who often toes the line on physical play, went a bit too far on Sunday in Seattle and got himself ejected.

Greenlaw headbutted Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who was not wearing a helmet, on the Seattle sideline during a brief second-quarter scuffle. The pushing began after Greenlaw bumped Sam Darnold as the quarterback reached the sideline on a scramble. After Darnold went to the ground, his teammates surrounded Greenlaw, who had pursued Darnold at full speed and ended up among the Seattle bench after the play.

Jones was one of the Seattle players to confront Greenlaw, who lowered his helmet to bump Jones in the forehead. Several 49ers, led by Greenlaw’s longtime linebacking partner Fred Warner, went into the sea of blue jerseys to bring Greenlaw back out of the Seahawks’ bench area.

Greenlaw was assessed a personal foul penalty for hitting Darnold just after his foot touched out of bounds, and then was disqualified from the game for headbutting Jones.

The 49ers’ tone-setting linebacker left after making three tackles Sunday. He had been a significant presence in the first four games of the season, including last week when he had a season high of 12 tackles against the Denver Broncos, who released him last winter after luring him away from the 49ers with a three-year deal the prior offseason.

He was seen shouting at Broncos coach Sean Payton after that game, showing the extra motivation he may have had after his release.

Greenlaw, 29, is in his eighth season after being drafted by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2019 draft. He returned to the Niners in free agency this past offseason on a one-year, $7.5 million deal.

The former Arkansas star was ejected from a 2023 game in Philadelphia for a sideline incident with Eagles security officer Dom DiSandro and a 2022 game against the Los Angeles Chargers for a hit on Justin Herbert. He also was suspended last season for unsportsmanlike conduct toward an official, as the NFL said he verbally threatened referee Brad Allen.

____