The final nail in the San Francisco 49ers’ Week 7 coffin was the ejection of left tackle Trent Williams.
Williams was penalized 15 yards and ejected near the end of the 49ers’ 28-18 loss to the Chiefs for punching Kansas City defensive back Bryan Cook. The NFL has fined Williams $11,817 for his action, per NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.
Cook actually swung and hit Williams first while Williams was getting up after a play, but the officials only saw Williams’ reactionary punch. The NFL also fined Cook $8,442.64.
It was a clear sign of the frustration San Francisco was feeling in their fifth loss to Kansas City since the 2018 season. The Chiefs mostly dominated the game and held San Francisco to a season-worst 310 yards of total offense. It was also a sign that the 49ers weren’t dictating the game’s physicality and getting under an opponent’s skin the way we’ve seen them do in the past.
The NFL fined #49ers LT Trent Williams $11,817 for the punch that got him ejected last week. #Chiefs S Bryan Cook, who appeared to punch Williams first, was fined $8,442.64.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 26, 2024
Williams also played his worst game of the year. Pro Football Focus gave him a below-average 55.4 overall grade. He didn’t allow a pressure, but he was hit with a pair of penalties, including the personal foul that got him ejected.
The punch from Williams was understandable given the circumstances, but ideally the team’s veteran leader won’t succumb to that kind of bait from an opponent in the future.
