December 03, 2023

Eagles react to security chief Dom DiSandro's ejection from 49ers game

"Big Dom" stepped up to 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw along the Eagles' sideline. Both were ejected, and for a moment in an otherwise brutal game, an unheralded legend among the Philly faithful grew even greater.

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

In the third quarter of the Eagles' 42-19 loss to the 49ers on Sunday, DeVonta Smith caught and ran with the ball toward the left sideline to make his way out of bounds, but San Francisco linebacker Dre Greenlaw was intent on finishing his tackle, wrapping Smith up and slamming him the ground well after the play was over.

Smith took exception to that and got right in Greenlaw's face, and so did the rest of the Eagles' sideline, with the team's chief security officer Dom DiSandro – A.K.A. "Big Dom" – moving in to separate Greenlaw from their wide receiver.

Tempers flared, flags flew, Greenlaw put a hand in DiSandro's face, all the refs stepped in between, both head coaches – the Eagles' Nick Sirianni right there on the spot and the 49ers' Kyle Shanahan from across the way – were livid, and the Lincoln Financial Field crowd erupted.

49ers' Dre Greenlaw has been disqualified from tonight's game after this incident on the Eagles sideline. pic.twitter.com/2N4W17N8u9
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 3, 2023

Greenlaw was charged with a personal foul to move the Eagles halfway to the goal line while also getting disqualified from the remainder of Sunday's contest. DiSandro was ejected too, but without any penalty called on Philadelphia and with pats on the back from the Eagles' coaching staff, a dap up from Connor Barwin, and a standing ovation from all the Philly faithfuls in the seats as he made his way toward the tunnel.

The legend of Big Dom pic.twitter.com/ZZVtaznv6N
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) December 3, 2023

For a moment, in an otherwise brutal game, an unheralded legend among the Eagles' fan base grew even greater.

But he was still ejected nonetheless, with an explanation given postgame as to why from NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Walt Anderson in an interview with PFWA member and PHLY writer Zach Berman.

Said Anderson of the situation:

“The officials had a flag on the field for a personal foul by San Francisco No. 57, and then there was continuing action. And so what Rule 19 allows us to do is provide assistance by looking at the video. And we saw video that showed that there was a staff person that made contact with the player and that the player involved, No. 57, made contact with the staff member which warranted his disqualification. The non-player, he was contributing to that escalation. Rule 19 does not afford us the ability to help the officials in throwing a flag that they do not throw for a non-player. That’s only afforded for a player action.”

So basically, the refs could flag Greenlaw, but not DiSandro. They could eject both, however.

"I mean, that's our offensive playcaller. He got booted out of the stadium, that was kinda rough," Eagles left guard Jordan Mailata tried to quip postgame before breaking. "Dude...I'm sorry, man. You know, I saw Dom get booted, that kinda pissed me off, to be honest.

"I was just like 'Why is he getting kicked off?' And there was so much commotion going on. We were trying to ask the refs, and the refs weren't telling us anything. Then I just heard, the side judge was like, 'Hey, why isn't he going off?!' And I saw him pointing at Dom and I just saw Dom walk off. I mean, that's what it is."

Eagles LT Jordan Mailata on the chippiness in the game and the ejection of Dom DiSandro. pic.twitter.com/XC8QoT9jSF
— Tim McManus (@Tim_McManus) December 4, 2023

But questions about DiSandro's ejection were, naturally, floating around the Eagles' locker room and press conferences after the game – the 49ers too.

"At the end of the day, it's high emotions," Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said. "We gotta make sure that we always control those. That's what we talked about this week. We knew it was gonna be one of those types of games. I mean, it was chippy and both of them got ejected, so at the end of the day, I trust Dom. I know Dom. This is the first time I've ever seen him get thrown out of a game, but it just so happened that, like I said, it was one of those emotional games.

"There were words being said. I think he said something and then [Greenlaw] tried to swing on him. I mean, at the end of the day, it's one of those things where you gotta control yourself. I hate that both of them got ejected, but that's part of the game, and I know that Dom – if you know Dom, you know he ain't putting hands on people. I know that he's gonna learn from this too. But all I know is the 49ers came, got the win, and we got much respect for them. We'll see them again."

"My reaction?" Sirianni said. "You know, just knowing we had to move on and play the next play. That's all we were trying to do in that scenario is move on, getting the ball down inside the 10 or the 12-yard line or something after the personal foul, and just regrouping and getting everybody going to play the next play, just like we do when he have a bad play, a good play, a bad game, good game.

"We're gonna have to pick ourselves up off the mat."

For a glance from the 49ers' perspective:

"It was weird. It was a little weird," said San Francisco wide receiver Jauan Jennings. "I don't...He doesn't even play football, so I don't understand what's his beef with Dre, like...you're a sideline guy..."

"I didn't get to see it all from where I was at, but once I started hearing people explain it to me and stuff, I just can't believe someone not involved in a football game can taunt our players like that and put their hands in our guys' face," Shanahan said. "From what I was told, Dre did it back to him and I was told that he kinda mashed him in the face a little bit, so he got ejected, but that was a very frustrating play. I gotta watch it to have a true opinion on it, but I love how we railled after it."

So if they didn't know "Big Dom" before, they definitely do now.