A flag and an ejection weren’t the only punishments for 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw for his helmet-to-helmet shot on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. The NFL announced Greenlaw was also fined $10,609 for the infraction.
It was a tough play for Greenlaw since Herbert was being tackled from behind by Fred Warner. Jimmie Ward then came in and hit Herbert from behind which altered his trajectory as Greenlaw was lowering his shoulder for the hit.
Ultimately it was a borderline call, but with the league’s emphasis on eliminating helmet-to-helmet hits, it’s not a huge surprise they threw the flag and issued a fine. Disincentivizing the use of the helmet on the field is the NFL’s goal.
The ejection still seems extreme though given the circumstances that led to the collision of helmets. Perhaps the best news for San Francisco is that Greenlaw wasn’t suspended for the hit. His pocketbook will take a dent, but he’ll be on the field to help his team Monday night.
