The NFL is reviewing the sideline scuffle between San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw and Philadelphia Eagles' head of security, Dom DiSandro. Both individuals were ejected from Sunday's game. During his post-game press conference at Lincoln Financial Field, head coach Kyle Shanahan criticized DiSandro for putting his hands on one of his players.
"That's why I tried my hardest not to lose my mind," Shanahan told reporters after the game. "Hopefully, I didn't embarrass myself too bad. I didn't get to see it all from where I'm at, but when I start hearing people explain it to me and stuff and I just can't believe someone not involved in a football game can taunt our players like that and put their hands in our guy's face. And from what I was told, Dre did it back to him, and I was told that he kind of mashed him in the face a little bit, so he got ejected."
According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, DiSandro spoke with 49ers general manager John Lynch after the game to explain what transpired on the sideline. That conversation reportedly ended on a good note.
From The Insiders on #NFLPlus and @nflnetwork: #Eagles chief security officer Dom DiSandro spoke to #49ers GM John Lynch after yesterday's game and explained he was trying to keep the peace with Dre Greenlaw. pic.twitter.com/VnGYzK2xz0
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 4, 2023
Shanahan spoke to reporters via a conference call on Monday, further expressing his opinion about the sideline scuffle.
"My thoughts are pretty much the same as yesterday," Shanahan said. "It was hard to accept Dre getting kicked out of that game for something that didn't involve someone that had to do with that game. But I definitely don't have any hard feelings towards Dom or anything like that. I don't want anyone to go too hard on him.
"I think he just got caught in a weird situation, in an emotional situation. So, no hard feelings towards him. I know a lot of people who know him and speak very highly of him. I just couldn't believe we lost our player because of it."
Those people he knows are current players and coaches who spent time with the Eagles and are familiar with their personnel, including DiSandro.
Shanahan noted that he spoke to Greenlaw before he left the field and again after the game. The coach clarified that he doesn't consider the situation a big deal.
"Sometimes you're in areas you shouldn't be in, and you get close to a player, and I just was upset our player got suspended over someone that had him kicked out of a big game," Shanahan said. "But I don't think there's nothing that he did extraordinarily bad. It's just guys shouldn't be around that area, and that's something that I don't think was totally fair to our player. It wasn't anything personal against him.
"Stuff happens. I'm sure he regrets that, but I hear he does a hell of a job for that organization, and people speak very highly of him as a dude."
