49ers star makes feelings clear on Sean Payton after heated on-field exchange

Oscar Maung-HaleyTue, October 6, 2026 at 12:21 PM UTC

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Dre Greenlaw had some choice words for Broncos head coach Sean Payton -Credit:Getty Images

Dre Greenlaw had some choice words for former head coach Sean Payton after helping the San Francisco 49ers beat the Denver Broncos 24-14, with the linebacker telling him: "Get the f--- off the field."

Sunday's action saw the 49ers continue their unbeaten start to the 2026 season after beating Denver at Levi's Stadium to move to 4-0 on the year. One of the big storylines to emerge from the game in Santa Clara was Greenlaw's feud with Payton, whom he played under in Denver during the 2025 season.

The 29-year-old signed a three-year, $35 million deal to join the Broncos last year. However, Greenlaw endured an injury-plagued season. He sustained a quad injury during training camp, which forced him out of action until October. He was also suspended for one game after running at referee Brad Allen, before missing two more games late in the year due to a hamstring injury.

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Come March of this year, the Broncos opted to move on from Greenlaw, releasing him. Following his release, he inked a one-year, $7.5 million deal to return to San Francisco, the team that drafted him back in 2019.

The Broncos game was personal for Greenlaw, who recorded a team-high 12 combined tackles and a forced fumble. One of Greenlaw's tackles came on the Broncos' sideline, with him gesturing to Payton during the first quarter.

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After the game finished, Greenlaw was spotted confronting Payton at Levi's Stadium, where he told his former head coach, who he claims did not call him to say Denver was cutting him earlier this year, to "Get the f--- off the field" before he was taken away from the situation by teammate Fred Warner.

"I told him to get the f--- off the field," Greenlaw said, via the San Francisco Chronicle. "That's it: 'Get the f--- off the field.'"

Greenlaw told reporters that Payton did not speak to him after Week 12 of the 2025 season because Payton was frustrated by the lack of return Denver was getting on its investment in him.

"He definitely was, for sure," Greenlaw added. "He would walk by – I would walk by – and he wouldn’t even look at me because of my injury. So I just knew what it was [with him] there."

He added, "He couldn’t be man-to-man and call my phone and say, 'We're going to cut you.'"

Sean Payton told Kyle Shanahan postgame that he "thinks the world" of Greenlaw -Credit:Getty Images

Seconds after Greenlaw confronted Payton postgame, the Denver head coach met with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan at midfield. Speaking to reporters, Payton said he "thinks the world" of Greenlaw.

"I said this to Kyle afterwards: I think the world of him," Payton said.

"I really love everything about him. He plays with that emotion. So it’s all good."

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Source: “AOL Sports”