49ers’ penalty-prone LB Greenlaw on officiating: ‘They’re definitely looking for me’
SANTA CLARA — Officials aren’t the only ones keeping an eye out for Dre Greenlaw.
The 49ers linebacker is building a reputation that goes beyond the yellow flags that follow him around. When preparing to face the 49ers as a member of the Carolina Panthers, Christian McCaffrey said Greenlaw was as conspicuous as he was explosive on game film.
“Everyone in the league knows who he is,” McCaffrey said Thursday. “He reminds me of a Mike Tyson kind of guy. He plays with the most violent intentions all the time. If he’s tackling you, he’s going to make you feel it, that’s for sure.
“When he’s on your team, you feel a little edge of confidence. Every time No. 57 is suited up, I know I feel great.”
Greenlaw has been limited in practice this week with an ankle injury but expected to face the Arizona Cardinals Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. Go ahead and assume officials will have their flags at the ready every time the 49ers’ version of a heat-seeking missile takes aim at an Arizona jersey.
Since the start of the 2022 season, Greenlaw has been penalized six times for unnecessary roughness — including an ejection last Nov. 13 for a hit against quarterback Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Greenlaw has one in each of the last two games, one for a blow against Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton after a 3-yard gain and another after hitting Puka Nacua of the Rams near the sideline on a jet sweep.
Which begs the question: Is Greenlaw a marked man with officials?
“They’re definitely looking for me,” Greenlaw said. “I’m not looking to get a penalty. The whistle is being blown and I’m hitting someone at the same time and I get a flag for it. Either it’s bad call or they expected me to do that and they’re ready for it.”
Listed at 6-foot and 229 pounds, Greenlaw is the new breed of NFL linebacker, able to play with speed and abandon from sideline to sideline. But it’s a fine line in the NFL as to what constitutes unnecessary roughness and what does not.
Calls made in each of the last two weeks were marginal at best and were nothing resembling a penalty a decade ago.
Regarding one of the flags, defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said: “The guy was still up and I didn’t see the whistle being blown. We accept the penalty. They called it. But I thought he was still in legal play for making the hit. I definitely never want to take away his aggressive play. That’s who he is as a player.”
On the Herbert play last season, the quarterback had broken out of the pocket on the run and was lunging forward after being brought down by Fred Warner and Charvarius Ward. Greenlaw arrived in time, but Herbert lunged forward with his head exposed. Herbert left the game but returned a short time later. Greenlaw was penalized and ejected.
The last thing 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan wants is for Greenlaw to tone down the instincts and explosiveness that make him the player who received a two-year contact extension worth $16.4 million last season.
“He doesn’t hesitate in anything he does, so he jumps off the screen to people,” Shanahan said. “But you’ve still got to call it right. It’s hard when people are like that. He plays one way, and if he is ever playing in a way that’s illegal or not allowed, we will change that fast.
“But Dre is a very talented athlete and a very physical and violent player who can play that fast and keep himself out of trouble for the most part.”
Tashaun Gipson, the 49ers’ starting free safety, didn’t know much about Greenlaw when he arrived following training camp last season. He now regards Greenlaw as a “firecracker” after having a first-hand look both on the field and in the film room.
“Dre is one of my favorite players, I’m not going to lie to you,” Gipson said. “He just jumps off the tape. From my first game here, I thought, ‘I love the way he plays the game.’”
Warner and and Greenlaw are kindred spirits, inseparable and have common skill sets. Yet Warner has never had an unnecessary roughness flag, although he was once called for roughing the passer in 2020.
The All-Pro middle linebacker declined to speculate whether Greenlaw is getting a closer look from officials because of the accumulation of penalties.
“I don’t know,” Warner said. “Obviously I can’t speak on the officials too much, but I love the way Dre plays and that’s honestly what we teach so I’m not too worried about it. I wouldn’t change anything.”
The last thing Gipson wants to see is Greenlaw becoming tentative.
“I prefer Dre play like he does all day, every day,” Gipson said. “You never want to stop a guy’s motor. That’s the thing that separates you and makes you different. I tell Dre to keep going, man. He’s playing the way he’s played since he came into the league. (The penalties) are just something Dre and Kyle have got to handle. Dre’s got a little money. He can take the fines.”
Greenlaw, a fifth-round draft pick out of Arkansas in 2019, was a starter by his second season. He takes pride in the game tape that impresses his coaches and teammates. He described a play against the Rams where teammates held up the ballcarrier, with Greenlaw coming in for the finish at less than full speed.
“”It looked horrible on film — like I was loafing,” Greenlaw said. “That film is important, I mean, you’ve got to go home and watch that film and you either feel good about yourself or you don’t. The only thing I can control is my effort, my attitude, and we’re all a puzzle piece. I know if I go fast and hard and hit ’em every snap and find the ball then I’m doing my part.”