General manager John Lynch revealed that San Francisco 49ers defensive end Kentavius Street won't be fined for his hit on New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. This past weekend, the 49ers defender blew through Saints rookie guard Cesar Ruiz on his way to leveling the quarterback, only to draw a roughing-the-passer penalty.
Brees ended up leaving the game with what was later diagnosed as a collapsed lung and fractured ribs.
Any fan who watched the play saw a properly executed sack from Street. However, the 6-foot-2 and 290-pound defender packs a wallop with each hit.
"[The penalty was] a shame for a couple of reasons," Lynch said Wednesday on KNBR's Tolbert, Krueger & Brooks show. "Number one, I think it was a very pivotal point in the game, and it felt like the momentum kind of shifted. And that's on us, but I think that was a reality.
"Number two, you guys know Kentavius' story. He tore his ACL in a pre-draft workout and then has had struggles coming back. So, (he) basically missed two years of football.
"That was his first career sack, and it got taken from him on something that I don't think was a penalty, and I think we can all agree to that now. And to do it against a legend like Drew Brees, that stunk."
The NFL must have seen it the same way because the league informed Lynch this week that Street won't be fined for the hit. Of course, Lynch didn't want to say whether or not the NFL admitted that the roughing-the-passer penalty shouldn't have been called. Judging from the lack of further discipline, it's safe to assume that, in retrospect, it saw no ill-intent.
"They've done a nice job in their department of officiating," Lynch said. "They've got a former coach in there now, Perry Fewell, and he does a good job with the communication. And it's not often what you want to hear, but they've been very transparent. If they made a mistake, they'll tell you that. I don't get into whether they're saying that, but Kentavius won't be fined."
So why was the Street penalized during the game even after officials conferred? Does the fact that he planted a legal but vicious hit on a future Hall of Fame quarterback have anything to do with the decision?
Added Lynch: "You add to the fact that it was against one of the greatest quarterbacks -- and I know that's not supposed to enter their mind, but they're human beings too, you know?"
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below. It begins at about the 36-minute mark.