The rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles was as heated as ever on Sunday. In the third quarter of Week 13’s meeting, an incident resulted in a double ejection.
Who is Dom DiSandro, and why did he get ejected from the game on Sunday?
Philadelphia Eagles’ Security Chief Ejected After Sideline Scuffle
DiSandro, known in Philadelphia as “Big Dom,” is the chief security officer for the Eagles. His official title also includes “senior adviser to the general manager.” He has worked for the Eagles since 1999 and “oversees all safety and security matters for players, coaches, and executives,” according to the team.
Niners linebacker Dre Greenlaw was ejected along with DiSandro following an altercation on the Eagles’ sideline during the third quarter.
MORE: NFL Fans React to Questionable Ejection of Dre Greenlaw in 49ers vs. Eagles Game
Greenlaw got ejected for taking a swipe at Big Dom on the sideline. Greenlaw had slammed Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith to the ground after Smith stepped out of bounds.
#49ers LB Dre Greenlaw suplexed #Eagles WR DeVonta Smith then got ejected for taking a swipe at Big Dom 😳#FlyEaglesFly | #FTTB
pic.twitter.com/NJQjMtQ1JK— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 3, 2023
Officials threw a flag for the late hit, but the situation escalated when DiSandro separated Smith and Greenlaw. The refs attempted to diffuse the situation, but DiSandro shoved Greenlaw, and the linebacker’s left hand made contact with DiSandro’s face.
Greenlaw was ejected from the game, and Eagles fans gave DiSandro a standing ovation as the chief security officer was escorted out of Sunday’s blowout loss to the 49ers.
“I tried my hardest not to lose my mind,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I just can’t believe someone not involved in the football game can taunt our players like that and put their hands in our guy’s face. From what I was told, Dre did it back to him. He kind of mashed him in the face a little bit, so he got ejected.”
According to NBC Sports, the league will likely take further action for DiSandro interjecting himself into a scrum.
One high-level executive with another team predicts to ProFootballTalk that there will be a significant punishment imposed both on DiSandro and the Eagles by the league. The job of a team’s head of security does not include breaking up fights during a game.
Earlier this year, the NFL distributed a memo to all teams regarding fighting. Among other things, the memo says that “more significant accountability measures” might apply to teams whose players or non-players “join a fight already in progress.”
Sports Illustrated NFL insider Connor Orr is expecting the league to “make an example” out of the two — but especially DiSandro.
“DiSandro should not have been there. Period. DiSandro shouldn’t have made contact with Greenlaw. Period,” he wrote on Sunday night.
“If the league doesn’t freak out about this, it will have on its hands a massive problem of perception. The lot of us were able to see and contextualize this Sunday without an issue because we are not active football players, whose jobs continue to become more difficult with each passing day.”
Orr pointed out an important aspect of the NFL’s rule book. Section 1, Article 8 of the NFL rulebook states: Non-player personnel of a club (e.g., management personnel, coaches, trainers, equipment personnel) are prohibited from making unnecessary physical contact with or directing abusive, threatening, or insulting language or gestures at opponents, game officials, or representatives of the League.
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