Dre Greenlaw didn’t hold back after the 49ers kept their undefeated streak alive on Sunday, reportedly telling Broncos coach Sean Payton exactly how he felt with a fiery “get the f, off my field” right after the final whistle. Cameras caught the whole thing, and Greenlaw later confirmed those choice words to reporters. It was an intense moment, especially with the 49ers now sitting pretty at 4-0.
No Love Lost on the Field
That postgame confrontation was wild. As teams were converging, Greenlaw made a beeline for Payton. You could see the tension, and those words “You get the f-ck off my field!” were loud and clear. Think that’s just some heat-of-the-moment trash talk? Maybe. But 49ers teammate Fred Warner was quick to usher Greenlaw away from Payton, probably preventing something even crazier from going down. Despite the incident, Payton still went on to shake Kyle Shanahan’s hand in their usual postgame meeting. It also wasn’t the only time Greenlaw seemed to be jawing with Payton during the game, indicating this wasn’t some isolated burst of emotion. For his part, Payton seemed pretty chill about it all after the game, telling reporters he was “all good” with Greenlaw. He even had high praise for the linebacker, saying he thinks “the world of him” and loves “everything about him,” adding that Greenlaw “plays with that emotion.”
The Messy History Between Greenlaw and Payton
So, what gives? Why the obvious animosity from Greenlaw’s side, even if Payton claims it’s “all good”? Turns out, there’s a backstory. Greenlaw actually spent the entire 2025 season with the Broncos, playing under Payton. He’d been with San Francisco, but a torn Achilles kept him off the field for most of 2024. He played in only eight games for Denver in 2025, starting seven. After that season, the Broncos brought back LBs Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, and Greenlaw was released in the offseason. This is where things get personal. Greenlaw told reporters that Payton started ignoring him during the second half of the 2025 season, specifically because of his injury. “He would walk by, I would walk by, and he wouldn’t even look at me because of my injury,” Greenlaw said. Talk about feeling disrespected. But it didn’t stop there. Greenlaw also said Payton didn’t even speak to him personally when he was released in March. He had to hear the news from his agent, which, come on. Greenlaw put it bluntly, saying Payton “couldn’t be man to man and call my phone and say, ‘We’re going to cut you.’”
This isn’t just a win for the 49ers, it’s a personal victory for Greenlaw, and you can bet that “all good” comment from Payton doesn’t change anything for him. It’s clear that there’s some real lingering bad blood, even if Payton took the high road in the presser.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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