SANTA CLARA — After the 49ers' 28-16 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at Levi's Stadium, Nick Bosa admitted he didn’t do his part in preventing the ejection of Deommodore Lenoir late in the game.
“I was supposed to be on the field to grab him and pull him away like I did last week,” Bosa said with a laugh. “I was too tired. He’s like a little rabid dog out there sometimes.”
Lenoir, who is mild-mannered and soft-spoken in the locker room, has grown into a player who has a very strong on-field persona. Late in the fourth quarter, linebacker Fred Warner intercepted a Drew Lock pass that was intended for DK Metcalf.
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Just after Warner lateraled the ball to Dre Greenlaw, Metcalf wrapped his arms around the All-Pro and threw him to the ground. Warner, in turn, pushed the Seahawks receiver into the grass and a skirmish broke out.
Lenoir attempted to get between Warner and Metcalf repeatedly which led to his ejection from the game along with the 6-foot-4 receiver, with a little more than three minutes left in the contest.
While a teammate being ejected from a game can be detrimental to the team, Bosa admitted he enjoys the fire that Lenoir plays with and the player that he has developed into over his past few seasons.
“He’s come so far just as a person,” Bosa said. “It’s funny because people come into the league and they are kids. Sometimes this new generation of kids, not that I’m an old guy, but they are different, and it takes them a minute to understand how to be a man, and become a man and I think a lot of guys have done that.”
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Thankfully for the 49ers' defense, Bosa failing to pull Lenoir away from the scrum did not end up having an impact on the outcome of the game. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year, however, does wish he could take back a few plays that have affected the cornerback’s overall stat line.
In the Week 15 win over the Seattle Seahawks last season, Lenoir intercepted a Geno Smith pass intended for Tyler Lockett and ran it back for a touchdown. On the same play, Bosa was called for roughing the passer which nullified the score.
On Sunday, Bosa was called offsides when Lenoir picked off a Lock pass intended for Metcalf.
“I love Demo so much,” Bosa said “I’m so sorry for taking a pick-six away from him last year and another interception this year. I should get him a gift, a Christmas gift. I have to step up my shopping. I haven’t gotten too much of it done yet.”