Big Dom forgot that his head of security duties do not include breaking up fights on the field.
And now the NFL reportedly will look to make an example of the Eagles’ security czar.
A “high-level executive” predicted to Pro Football Talk “there will be significant punishment imposed” both on Dom DiSandro and the Eagles after Philadelphia’s senior advisor to the general manager/chief security officer touched 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw to break up a scuffle, which led to Greenlaw hitting DiSando and both men being ejected.
“Team security officials are not in-game bouncers. Keeping the peace is the job of the officials,” PFT’s Mike Florio wrote Sunday. “Non-players who insinuate themselves into the game action risk losing access to the game area.”
During the 49ers’ statement 42-19 road win Sunday in a preview of the possible NFC Championship Game, DiSandro took his security details to new levels.
Greenlaw started the tussle by suplexing DeVonta Smith out of bounds on Philadelphia’s sideline, which resulted in a penalty.
DiSandro, in his 25th year with the Eagles, then crossed a line by pushing away Greenlaw while the 49ers star and Smith went back and forth.
Greenlaw then threw his hand at DiSandro and hit him in the face – to call it a grazing would be fair – and the referees ultimately disqualified Greenlaw from the game, while also ejecting DiSandro.
Florida noted how the NFL already punished photographer Kevin Fitzgibbons for his involvement during Tyreek Hill’s backflip celebration, a sign that the league will step in when non-players insert themselves.
The NFL also warned teams about fighting earlier this year that indicated it will punish those who join fights.
“Earlier this year, the NFL distributed a memo to all teams regarding fighting,” Florio wrote. “Among other things, the memo says that “[m]ore significant accountability measures” might apply to teams whose players or non-players “join a fight already in progress.”
While losing Greenlaw did not affect the 49ers, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan took issue with DiSandro’s involvement.
“That’s why I tried my hardest not to lose my mind. I hope I didn’t embarrass myself too bad,” Shanahan said. “I didn’t get to see it all from where I’m at but when I started hearing people explain it to me and stuff, I just can’t believe someone uninvolved in a football game can taunt our players like that and put their hands in our guy’s face. .. It was a very frustrating play. I have to watch it to have a true opinion on it. I love how we rallied after.”
Shanahan did praise opposing coach Nick Sirianni for showing remorse about what happened.
“Yeah, he was awesome,” Shanahan said. “He wasn’t a fan of what happened on the play either. He handled it with total class. It was real cool.”
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