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San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw was ejected from the game against the Los Angeles Chargers with about 30 seconds left in the first half after a helmet-to-helmet hit on quarterback Justin Herbert.
Greenlaw was ejected on Sunday night for the horrific second quarter goal of San Francisco’s 22-16 against the LA Chargers.
On third and 6 at San Francisco’s 40, Herbert scrambled through the middle to dodge the pressure. However, when he tried to drive forward, Niners linebacker Fred Warner hit him from behind.
49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw was ejected for helmet-to-helmet hit on Justin Herbert
As the Chargers quarterback scrambled, Niners linebacker Fred Warner hit him from behind
As the quarterback began to fall to the ground, Greenlaw approached and bumped into Herbert.
The replay of the broadcast showed Herbert’s head snapping to the side as the two helmets collided in sickening footage.
Officials immediately flagged the hit, but spent a few moments deliberating before opting to enforce the penalty and eject Greenlaw. The hit drew a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness.
Herbert got up after the hit, apparently intending to stay in the game, but he eventually went to the sidelines and entered the blue tent to be assessed for a head injury. Backup Chase Daniel covered the last three offensive snaps from half of the Chargers.
However, Herbert, who was 14-of-21 for 161 yards with a touchdown, was cleared to return to the field in the second half.
Greenlaw, who was back from a calf injury in his first game, led the Niners by seven tackles at the time of his expulsion.
NBC’s analyst on duty, Terry McAulay, reported that he spoke to the NFL’s league office and that Troy Vincent, executive vice president of football operations, weighed in on the decision to eject Greenlaw.
“We heard from New York and they determined – Troy Vincent determined – that the player lowered his head and illegally made violent and flagrant contact with an opponent’s head,” McAulay said.
Herbert left to be checked for a concussion but was cleared to return for the second half
McAulay disagreed with the decision to eject Greenlaw, arguing that he did not believe Greenlaw had intentionally made contact with Herbert’s head.
“For disqualification, you want to see a player do something unnecessary, an attempt to punish the opponent,” McAulay said. “I feel like he’s trying to lead with his shoulder – the changing height of the runner being tackled led to the forced content to the head.
‘You could say it’s a violation. I just don’t think it should be blatant and disqualifying.”
NBC’s Melissa Stark reported that she spoke to 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan about the decision. He reportedly said he understood the penalty but “used a lot of expletives” about the ejection.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reportedly understood penalty but ‘used expletives’
Quarterback safety has been a major focus for the NFL in recent weeks since the concussion of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagvailoa.
Tagovailoa was central to player safety in the NFL after she suffered a concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 29, just days after she also suffered a heavy blow to the Buffalo Bills.
Tagovailoa was sent off with a concussion against the Bengals in Week 4 after a goal by Josh Tupou of Cincinnati, just days after being allowed back into the game against the Buffalo Bills, despite being analyzed for a possible head injury .
He got a hit from Bills linebacker Matt Milano in the first half that knocked his head off the turf. He then seemed disoriented and tripped as he tried to get up.
The Miami Dolphins quarterback is being transported by a medical team after being fired by Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou during the second quarter at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on September 29, 2022.
Tagovailoa was cleared to return on September 25, despite stumbling to the ground and continuing to struggle even after getting back on his feet. Teammates had to help keep the 24-year-old Hawaiian upright before he was taken out of the game just before half time
He was central to player safety after concussion against the Bengals
He passed halftime concussion exam against the Bills and the team and quarterback later clarified that a back injury had caused a stumbling block.
The incident sparked criticism of the league’s handling of concussions, with some disapproving of the decision to allow Tagovailoa to re-enter the game against the Bills.
The NFL and NFLPA announced they would be working together to review the league’s concussion protocol.
The independent physician who examined him and approved his return to play in Miami has since been fired by the NFL Players Association.
The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 22-16 in their first game back of a week bye.
The Niners (5-4) returned from the mid-season break just as healthy as they’ve been on offense all season and hoping to make a point in the second half. Their performance against the short-handed Chargers (5-4) was a slog at times, but turned out to be just enough to come out on top.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo celebrated a touchdown on Sunday night
San Francisco was 10 points behind in the second quarter before rallying. Jimmy Garoppolo scored on a 1-yard sneak in the second quarter, then made the biggest play when he hit Brandon Aiyuk on a 24-yard pass on third-and-10 of the Chargers 26 midway through the fourth quarter.
McCaffrey threw it in the next game and now has four touchdowns in three games since arriving from Carolina in a midseason trade.
Garoppolo went 19 for 28 for 240 yards, while San Francisco relied heavily on the ground game, rushing 40 times for 158 yards.
Justin Herbert went 21 for 35 for 196 yards on a touchdown pass for the Chargers, who played without both starting tackles and receivers.
Christian McCaffrey scored four touchdowns in three games for the Niners
After scoring a touchdown on their opening possession, the Chargers only scored three field goals the rest of the way—two on drives starting in Niners’ area—against a solid San Francisco defense.
The Chargers failed on two late chances. They took over on their 1 with 2:03 to play but turned it around on downs when Herbert’s pass on the fourth and 3 of his own 8 went off Joshua Palmer’s hands due to an incompleteness.
After holding San Francisco to a field goal, Herbert had another chance with 53 seconds left, but was intercepted by Talanoa Hufanga on the first play to seal the match.
San Francisco held the opposition scoreless in the second half for the second game in a row.