Dre Greenlaw might be hearing from the NFL again. The Denver Broncos linebacker delivered a questionable hit on Las Vegas quarterback Geno Smith during Thursday’s 10-7 victory that could result in punishment from league offices.
Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw (57) on the sidelines prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw (57) on the sidelines prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Mitchell Schwartz spotted the problem immediately. The former Kansas City Chiefs star and Super Bowl championposted on X that “Greenlaw might be hearing from the NFL again this week,” along with video evidence from the first quarter.
Greenlaw might be hearing from the NFL again this week pic.twitter.com/TZuENjGNaG
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) November 7, 2025
The clip shows Greenlaw hitting Smith as the quarterback stumbled to the ground after Ja’Quan McMillian’s tackle. Smith was already going down when Greenlaw arrived, making the contact unnecessary and potentially dangerous according to current NFL standards for player safety.
Greenlaw finished with five total tackles, one forced fumble and one pass deflection in the victory. His physical style helps Denver’s defense succeed, but it also creates problems with league discipline.
This would mark another black mark on a troubled recent stretch for the linebacker. He just returned from a one-game suspension for using what the league called “abusive” language toward referee Brad Allen during Denver’s Week 7 win over the Giants.
The suspension came without pay, though Greenlaw avoided a fine for the verbal outburst. NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent made clear the league wanted to send a message through that punishment.
“There’s just no place no no place in the game for that,” Vincent told Mike Florio onPro Football Talk in October. “Also, I think it’s part of the message that the NFL wants to send to all lower levels of sport.”
That statement creates concern about how the league might handle this latest incident. Vincent already used Greenlaw to set a tone about acceptable behavior. The linebacker became a cautionary tale rather than just another disciplinary case.
Sean Payton praises Greenlaw’s physicality and its impact on the defense. But that aggressive approach has caused problems throughout the linebacker’s career, dating back to San Francisco.
ALSO READ: Oregon Ducks: Freshman Phenom Out Week 11, Timetable Uncertain
Spotrac records show Greenlaw has collected five fines totaling $51,383 across his six-plus NFL seasons. One stands out as particularly relevant to the current situation.
History of Hard Hits Puts Broncos LB Dre Greenlaw on Thin Ice
Greenlaw was fined $10,609 and ejected in Week 10 of the 2022 season for illegal use of his helmet on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Robert Griffin III defended Greenlaw at the time, arguing Herbert was tackled into that position.
The league disagreed and penalized both Greenlaw and the 49ers. That precedent matters now as the NFL reviews another questionable hit on a quarterback.
Greenlaw has multiple ejections on his record beyond just fines. The pattern suggests a player who repeatedly crosses lines the league wants enforced. Repeat offender status could turn a simple fine into another suspension.
The NFL has shown a willingness to punish infractions that didn’t draw flags during games. Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu received a one-game suspension for a hip-drop tackle that officials missed. The league reduced the fine to $100,000 after the appeal.
Greenlaw and Denver must hope Vincent doesn’t make another example of him. The linebacker has already been singled out once this season as someone whose behavior needed correction. Another incident so soon after returning from suspension puts him in dangerous territory with league discipline.