San Francisco Superstar Shockingly Receives Disciplinary Bench from Head Coach Kyle Shanahan for Needless Penalty That Put 49ers in Disadvantage

San Francisco — November 17, 2025

After the impressive victory over the Arizona Cardinals, the San Francisco 49ers still had to face a story heating up the locker room: a disciplinary punishment handed to cornerback Renardo Green for a needless penalty right in the moment when the 49ers were completely controlling the game. The defensive superstar — who has started all 10 games this season — was unexpectedly benched by Head Coach Kyle Shanahan, creating a small shock inside the team.

The situation occurred when the 49ers were leading 19-7 and were about to force the Cardinals off the field on 3rd-and-10. A short reception seemed to have ended Arizona’s drive, but Green’s heated shoving with tight end Trey McBride — including an unnecessary facemask grab — caused the referee to throw a 15-yard penalty flag. The Cardinals kept the ball, and Shanahan immediately showed fury on the sideline.

#49ers Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh were absolutely livid with Renardo Green after this penalty. pic.twitter.com/XgyNB54tQM

— Alex Tran (@nineralex) November 16, 2025

Fox cameras repeatedly captured the moment Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh screamed in Green’s face, clearly showing disappointment with this disciplinary lapse. Just seconds later, the 49ers decided to bench Green immediately, inserting Darrell Luter Jr. in his place. This is considered the strongest disciplinary move of the season so far, as Green has been a cornerstone, playing over 90% of the team’s defensive snaps.

After the game, Shanahan did not dodge questions about the situation. He bluntly explained the reason for having to impose a tough punishment. “In the NFL, losing emotional control is suicide,” Shanahan said through gritted teeth. “This wasn’t a technical mistake — this was a serious disciplinary error. And just one reckless moment can ruin the entire team’s effort. I will never tolerate that.”

When asked whether the punishment would affect his trust in Green, Shanahan maintained a firm yet nuanced stance. “I always trust my players, but trust must come with responsibility,” he shared. “We want to win by playing smart and disciplined. That’s the culture here.” Those strong statements only made the Faithful even more impressed with the 49ers’ captain.