After 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw made a tackle on the Denver sideline in the first quarter of Sunday’s win over the Broncos, he could be seen gesturing toward Broncos head coach Sean Payton while making his way back to the field.
Greenlaw wasn’t done with Payton. After the game was over, there was video — via Romi Bean of CBS News Colorado — of Greenlaw shouting while being steered away from Payton by teammate Fred Warner.
“I told him to get the f—k off the field,” Greenlaw said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “That’s it: ‘Get the f—k off the field.’”
Greenlaw’s bad feelings for Payton stem from last season. Greenlaw signed a three-year deal with Denver before the 2025 season, but missed time with a quad injury and due to a suspension before being released in March. Greenlaw said Payton never spoke to him in the final weeks of the season and that the team did not inform him of his release personally, which led to him having some extra motivation for the game.
“The disrespect,” Greenlaw said. “He couldn’t be man to man and call my phone and say, ‘We’re going to cut you.’”
Payton said in his postgame press conference that he told 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan that he thinks “the world of” Greenlaw, but it’s safe to say that the feeling isn’t mutual.
