Following San Francisco’s 24-14 win over the Broncos, Sean Payton addressed the post-game confrontation with former player Dre Greenlaw.
The tension was visible from the sidelines to the final whistle, but when the dust settled on San Francisco’s 24-14 victory over the Denver Broncos, Sean Payton chose to look past the fire.
During and after Sunday’s Week 4 matchup. Broncos coach Sean Payton found himself the target of intense frustration from 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw. Greenlaw. who spent the 2025 season in Denver. marked his return to play against his former team with a performance that was as aggressive as it was personal. He dominated the middle of the field. tallying a team-high 12 tackles and forcing a fumble as the 49ers pushed to a 4-0 start.
Throughout the afternoon, the animosity was clear. Greenlaw punctuated a tackle by aiming his celebration directly at the Denver sideline. The confrontation spilled over after the final whistle. with Greenlaw later telling the San Francisco Chronicle that he had ordered Payton to “get the f— off the field.”.
At the root of the friction lies a bitter exit from Denver. In 2025, Greenlaw signed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Broncos, but his tenure was marred by injury. He missed the first six games of the season due to a quadriceps injury and sat out the final two with a hamstring issue. Greenlaw maintains that communication with Payton ceased during that period and that he learned of his release through his agent rather than the head coach.
Despite the hostility directed his way, Payton signaled a desire to move on. When asked about the post-game exchange, he revealed he had already touched base with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to clear the air.
“I said this to Kyle afterwards, ‘You know, I think the world of him. I love everything about him,’” Payton said. “He plays with that emotion and so, all good.”
For Greenlaw, the game served as a physical release of long-standing grievances, but for the Broncos, it was a reminder of a fractured relationship from a season lost to injury and personnel turnover.
Sean Payton Dre Greenlaw Kyle Shanahan Denver Broncos 49ers NFL post-game football drama