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NFL suspends Broncos LB Dre Greenlaw for chasing, threatening ref after game vs. Giants

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones4 hours agobrianjones_93
Dre Greenlaw
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The NFL has suspended Denver Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw for one game without pay after his incident with an official during the game against the New York Giants. The league issued the suspension for a violation of Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1(b), which prohibits “the use of abusive, threatening or insulting language or gestures to opponents, teammates, officials, or representatives of the League.”

At the end of the game, Dre Greenlaw chased after referee Brad Allen and verbally threatened him as he tried to leave the field. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Greenlaw plans to appeal the suspension.

It’s not clear what Greenlaw said to Allen, but it was interesting to see him angry since the Broncos earned the win. Greenlaw had a productive game on Sunday, registering six tackles and one quarterback hit in the win.

Sunday was Greenlaw’s 2025 debut and first game with the Broncos. During the offseason, Greenlaw signed a $31.5 million contract with Denver but did not play in the preseason or the first six games of the regular season because of thigh injuries.

Dre Greenlaw ‘plays like Mike Tyson’

During training camp, Broncos head coach Sean Payton praised Greenlaw for his his physicality. “He plays like Mike Tyson,” Payton said, per the Broncos’ official website. “He’s tough, he’s physical. He’s built that way. There’s not a lot of leaky yardage. Some guys [allow that]. He’s a knock-back tackler. They stop where he hits them. There’s an intensity to how he plays. He’s one of those players that if you put the film on and didn’t say anything, at some point early, you’d ask, ‘Who is this guy?'”

Greenlaw, at the time, said he plays the game with a lot of passion. “I just like to play football,” Greenlaw said. “I just go out there and give it my all. You never know when it’s going to be your last chance on the field, last chance to play. You want to make a strong statement any time you can. I just love doing it and [I’m]thankful to be able to do it.”

Greenlaw began his NFL career in 2019 when the San Francisco 49ers selected him in the fifth round of the draft. He spent six seasons in San Francisco and helped the team play in two Super Bowls.