Washington Commanders, Dre Greenlaw
Dre Greenlaw Hasn't Forgotten Sean Payton's Decision to Cut Him From Broncos 1
Dre Greenlaw had been waiting for this game. The San Francisco 49ers linebacker made sure Sean Payton knew it, too. After the 49ers 24-14 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Greenlaw revealed that the anger behind his confrontation with the Broncos head coach went beyond the usual trash talk. He still has a problem with how Payton handled his departure from the Broncos.
Dre Greenlaw Opens Up About His Fallout With Sean Payton
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
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
Greenlaw’s frustration dates back to last season, when he spent just one year with the Broncos after signing a three-year, $31.5M contract. Injuries and a suspension limited him to eight games, and the Broncos released him this offseason.
What bothered the veteran linebacker most was how he found out. He said Payton had stopped speaking to him late last season and never personally called to tell him the Broncos were moving on.
“I told him to get the f*** off the field. That’s it: ‘Get the f*** off the field.’”
“He couldn’t be man-to-man and call my phone and say, ‘We’re going to cut you.’”
#49ers LB Dre Greenlaw on what he told Sean Payton, via @Eric_Branch: “I told him to get the f*** off the field. That’s it: ‘Get the f*** off the field.’”
Greenlaw says Payton hadn’t spoken to him since November of last season and didn’t even tell him he was being cut:
“He… https://t.co/uO0z5QOL9a pic.twitter.com/l44yw9fpRa
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 5, 2026
That feeling of disrespect followed Greenlaw into Sunday’s matchup at Levi’s Stadium. He was seen jawing at Payton during the game after making a tackle near the Denver sideline. The exchange continued after the final whistle, when Greenlaw was seen yelling at Payton before Fred Warner helped steer him away.
The confrontation came after the veteran had already delivered the type of performance he wanted against his former team. He led the 49ers with 12 tackles and added a forced fumble as they improved to 4-0.
For Greenlaw, the performance carried extra meaning because his time with the Broncos never went the way he expected. The head coach had recruited him after six seasons with the Niners; however, Greenlaw struggled to stay on the field during his lone season with the Broncos. He suffered from injuries and was suspended.
Finally, the Broncos chose not to retain him, while Greenlaw went back to play for the 49ers and soon made his way back into the team’s starting lineup.
Head coach of the 49ers, Kyle Shanahan, pointed out that the 29-year-old was particularly excited about this game. He said that he had to restrain himself but still maintain aggressiveness on the field.
Greenlaw managed to do exactly that on the stat sheet. He helped the 49ers beat the Broncos, produced his best game of the season, and walked away with the win he clearly wanted. The score settled the football part of the rivalry. His comments afterward showed that the personal part has not completely disappeared.
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