49ers Linebacker Dre Greenlaw Ejected for Headbutt vs. Seahawks

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw was ejected in the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks after a sequence of penalties that began with a late hit and escalated into a scuffle on the sideline. The ejection removed one of the 49ers' key defensive players from the pivotal NFC West matchup.

The incident began with Greenlaw committing a personal foul for a late hit on Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold, who had already gone out of bounds. Following the initial penalty, Greenlaw became involved in a confrontation with Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones IV on the Seahawks' sideline. Reports indicate that Jones, who had removed his helmet, briefly grabbed Greenlaw's facemask, prompting Greenlaw to respond with a headbutt to Jones' unprotected head. This action led to a brief altercation and Greenlaw's subsequent ejection from the game.

Greenlaw had been a significant contributor for the 49ers in their previous game against the Denver Broncos, where he recorded 12 tackles. While he engaged in some verbal exchanges with Denver coach Sean Payton during that game, it did not result in penalties.

Following Greenlaw's ejection, Luke Gifford entered the game as his replacement. The penalty stemming from Greenlaw's actions contributed to the Seahawks being in position for a field goal that narrowed the 49ers' lead to 14-13 shortly before halftime. The 49ers managed to extend their lead to 21-13 with a defensive score before the end of the first half.

The 49ers had been one of the NFL's least penalized teams entering the game, with only 28 penalties for 223 yards through their first four games. Greenlaw's ejection marked the fourth penalty for the team in this game, accumulating 34 penalty yards.