The San Francisco 49ers will be without a key defensive starter for Monday night’s game against the Washington Commanders. On Monday, the NFL upheld Greenlaw’s one-game suspension for an incident in Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, meaning he will miss the next game against Washington.
Greenlaw hit Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold out of bounds, but did not draw a flag. However, Greenlaw was on Seattle’s bench and got into a skirmish with linebacker Ernest Jones, who was not wearing a helmet. Greenlaw, who was wearing a helmet, headbutted him.
According to the NFL’s statement, Greenlaw violated Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which applies to “any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.”
With Greenlaw out, rookie Jaden Dugger, a fifth-round pick from Louisiana, is expected to start on Monday night.
Greenlaw spent his first six seasons with the 49ers before signing a three-year deal with the Denver Broncos in March 2025. However, the Broncos released Greenlaw after he played in only eight games for them last season. Shortly after his release, he returned to San Francisco on a one-year deal.
Through five games, Greenlaw has recorded 37 tackles and one forced fumble. He is the 49ers’ second-leading tackler behind Fred Warner.
The Commanders enter Monday's game in desperation mode with a 1-3-1 record and coming off an embarrassing 27-27 tie with the New York Giants.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 49ers' defensive starter suspended for Week 6 vs Commanders