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The Seattle Seahawks didn’t just end the San Francisco 49ers’ season on Saturday night; they may have also put at least one 49ers defender on the NFL’s discipline radar.
San Francisco cornerback Deommodore Lenoir could face a fine after he appeared to headbutt Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba during the NFC divisional-round matchup at Lumen Field, a moment that went unflagged even as Seattle pulled away in a 41-6 blowout.
As of Sunday, Jan. 18, there hasn’t been a public, official fine announcement tied to the incident. But the lack of a flag doesn’t necessarily end the story.
Why Lenoir could be fined even without a flag
The NFL has long fined players for actions that either weren’t penalized in-game or weren’t caught cleanly in real time. According to the league’s Football Operations rules-enforcement information, the NFL Officiating Department reviews every play from every game and potential violations can be referred for further review.
In Lenoir’s case, multiple outlets noted the apparent headbutt on Smith-Njigba as Seattle’s lead ballooned in the second half.
The NFL and NFLPA collectively bargain a fine schedule that includes categories that can apply to heated moments, including unsportsmanlike conduct, fighting, and other player-safety-related actions.
That’s why Seahawks fans (and plenty of neutral observers) are watching to see whether the league addresses the play after the fact, especially because the on-field officials didn’t.
Seattle players didn’t appear to escalate the moment, but the clip is the kind that can stick out on review because it looks intentional and happens well after the play is effectively over. That’s typically the type of sequence the league tries to discourage, especially in a postseason game with a national audience.
And the “no flag” part is what will really irritate Seahawks fans. If officials miss it in real time, the frustration only grows when replay angles circulate and the conversation turns into, “How did nobody see that?” In rivalry games, those moments tend to live forever, and Seattle fans will be watching closely this week to see whether the league addresses it after the fact.
Trent Williams had an uncalled facemask moment, too
Lenoir wasn’t the only 49er called out for a “meltdown” moment.
SFGATE also reported that 49ers offensive lineman Trent Williams grabbed Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV by the facemask after the two exchanged words, another play that, per the report, went uncalled.
That matters for the vibe of the story: this wasn’t one random flashpoint in a close game. It was a rivalry night that got ugly as the scoreboard got lopsided, with Seattle in complete control and San Francisco visibly frustrated.
What it means for Seahawks fans (and why this one will travel)
Seahawks fans don’t need much encouragement when it comes to 49ers angst, but nothing sparks a weekend-long pile-on quite like a heated rivalry moment that appears to cross a line and then doesn’t draw a flag.
If the NFL does issue discipline later, it becomes an easy follow-up with a “final decision” hook. If it doesn’t, that’s its own kind of fuel, too, because Seahawks fans will remember the headbutt and ask why it didn’t even cost San Francisco 15 yards in a playoff game.
Either way, Seattle’s message was already delivered the loudest way possible: the Seahawks advanced by dismantling their rival, to the point both teams pulled starting quarterbacks late in a blowout.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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