The NFL has fined San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw $12,537 for a hit on Atlanta Falcons receiver Drake London during San Francisco's Week 7 loss, after a punch aimed at jarring the ball loose instead connected with London's helmet. No penalty was called on the play, but the league office reviewed the footage afterward and classified it as unnecessary roughness.
NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reported the fine Saturday, and as Yahoo Sports detailed, the $12,537 penalty stemmed from Greenlaw going for a so-called Peanut punch while trying to force a fumble, only for the blow to land on London's helmet rather than the ball. The outlet noted the league deemed it unnecessary roughness even though no flag was thrown during the play. The New York Post reported there was no indication the hit was malicious.
The incident unfolded during San Francisco's 29-20 defeat to Atlanta, a game in which Greenlaw was far from quiet on defense. Per 49ers Webzone, the NFL fined Greenlaw for unnecessary roughness tied to striking an opponent during that Week 7 matchup at Atlanta, and the linebacker still finished with 12 tackles, including four solo stops, in the loss.
London Briefly Sidelined, Then Cleared
London left the game for a concussion evaluation following the play. According to CBS Sports, London was being evaluated for a concussion in the blue medical tent, but it was a short stay on the sidelines for the star wide receiver, who was quickly cleared to return in the third quarter.
The loss snapped San Francisco's unbeaten start to the season. The same Webzone report noted the 49ers committed four turnovers and allowed Atlanta to score 23 unanswered points after building an 11-point lead, a collapse that dropped the team to 6-1 on the year.
Second Fine of the Season for Greenlaw
The hit on London marks the second time this season the league has dinged Greenlaw's wallet. He was previously fined $11,941 for taunting after repeatedly exchanging words with the Denver Broncos' sideline and head coach Sean Payton, a penalty confirmed in an earlier Yahoo Sports report on the Week 4 incident. Beyond this year's fines, Greenlaw has been suspended three times over the course of his career, according to the same outlet.
Greenlaw wasn't the only 49er penalized financially for the Atlanta game. The Webzone report noted that running back Jordan James was fined $6,194 for unnecessary roughness involving the use of his helmet in the same contest, bringing the two players' combined fines from that single game to $18,731.
How the League Handles Fines
Comparable fines have landed elsewhere in the league this season. The Yahoo Sports report on Greenlaw's taunting penalty also noted that Broncos offensive lineman Ben Powers was fined $17,911 for unnecessary roughness stemming from a blindside block earlier in October.
Under the NFL's enforcement process, players who are fined receive a letter explaining what they did, video of the play in question, and the reasoning and amount behind the penalty, according to NFL Football Operations. Whether Greenlaw intends to appeal this latest fine has not been reported.
