Sean Payton has nothing but love for Dre Greenlaw after he chirps Broncos sideline

After one season in Denver, the 49ers linebacker seems to have an issue with the Broncos, but the feeling isn't mutual with his former head coach

BY JOEY FREEBURG

Oct 4, 2026, 6:43 PM

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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Dre Greenlaw #57 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up prior to...

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Dre Greenlaw had a lot to say to Sean Payton on Sunday. But Payton only had good things to say about him.

The 49ers linebacker went back and forth with his former head coach all afternoon in San Francisco’s 24-14 win over the Broncos at Levi’s Stadium. He seemed to have a message for Denver’s sideline after almost every tackle, and he made a lot of them. Greenlaw led the 49ers with 12 tackles, forced a fumble on RJ Harvey and kept running down Bo Nix in space.

#49ers Dre Greenlaw makes a tackle and immediately has words with #Broncos HC Sean Payton 👀 https://t.co/sCRjwQgECO

— 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙎𝙁𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 (@TheSFNiners) October 4, 2026

After the game, Payton was asked about the exchanges. He answered with nothing but love.

“I think the world of him,” Payton said. “You know, really love everything about him.”

The coach didn’t stop there.

“He plays with that emotion. And so, all good.”

Sunday was Greenlaw’s first game against the team that released him in March. Denver signed him to a three-year, $31 million deal in 2025 while he was still coming back from the torn Achilles he suffered in Super Bowl LVIII. His one season with the Broncos never got going. He played just eight games, finishing with 43 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble before Denver let him go. He also had trouble adjusting to Vance Joseph’s defense, which often lined up five players on the line instead of the four-man fronts he was used to in San Francisco.

Greenlaw hasn’t hidden how that year felt. In April, he admitted “I just wasn’t happy” during his season in Denver. He went back to the 49ers on a one-year deal and has been playing well right away, piling up 34 tackles in the first four games.

Kyle Shanahan saw it coming. Before the game, he said Greenlaw would be “excited for this one.” He added that it’s hard to picture the linebacker getting any more fired up than he already is every week.

That showed on Sunday. Greenlaw forced a fumble, and San Francisco’s defense held a struggling Denver offense in check for most of the day. Denver pulled within three in the fourth quarter, but George Kittle put the game away with a 56-yard touchdown.

Greenlaw made it clear that his short time in Denver still means something to him. Payton let the linebacker have his moment and moved on.

The loss drops the Broncos to 2-2, and the 49ers stay unbeaten at 4-0. Denver will be looking to fix its offense and bounce back next week.