This was avoidable.
The NFL just fined the 49ers $100,000 because Dre Greenlaw shoved Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride out of bounds last Sunday. Greenlaw was inactive because he’s on the Physically Unable to Perform List with an Achilles injury, and inactive players are not allowed to make physical contact with an opponent.
The altercation happened in the third quarter. McBride blocked 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward out of bounds and into the 49ers’ bench, Ward grabbed McBride’s facemask and Greenlaw pushed McBride away. The NFL fined all three players for this scuffle, but the biggest fine by far went to the 49ers for allowing Greenlaw to get involved.
In retrospect, Greenlaw should not have been on the sideline in the first place. He’s inactive. He’s not in uniform. He can’t play. And he’s recovering from an Achilles’ injury. He should be sitting in a luxury suite eating popcorn, not standing on the sideline getting into fights.
Greenlaw tore his Achilles in February while running onto the field during the Super Bowl. He had been dealing with Achilles tendonitis for months before it finally ruptured. The 49ers have said they expect him to return at some point this season but still have not given a firm timetable for his return. It doesn’t seem like he’s particularly close to being activated to the 53-man roster.
At this point, the goal has to be to get Greenlaw back for December or possibly the playoffs. In the meantime, get him off the sideline.
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