CINCINNATI, Ohio -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander received his third round of discipline from the NFL on Saturday for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston last week.
Alexander, who already received a 15-yard penalty for the personal foul and an ejection from the 49ers’ season opener, was fined $28,075 for unnecessary roughness for his hit on a sliding Winston in the first quarter of Week 1.
Alexander played his first four NFL seasons with the Buccaneers before signing a four-year, $54 million contract with the 49ers on the first day of free agency in March. Following the 49ers’ 31-17 victory, coach Kyle Shanahan presented Alexander with a game ball. Alexander played only 20 snaps in the game and had three tackles against his former team.
“I thought he played real well. We saw him a lot for the little he was in,” Shanahan said. “Dropped a pick, which we wanted him to catch it, but at least getting there was better than not getting there. I thought he made a bunch of splash plays for the little he was in.”
Alexander -- who will be back in the starting lineup Sunday when the 49ers play the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 -- was distraught after getting disqualified from the game. He and Winston are good friends, and Alexander said he was in a difficult spot of trying to make sure Winston did not remain on his feet to gain more yards on the scramble.
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“I was surprised because when I hit him I thought he was still up,” Alexander said. “He pumped-faked the ball first. I would never do that. I’m not a dirty player like that. I play the game right, so it was never intentional. But it happened, and now I got to move on from this.
San Francisco 49ers
“I was playing hard, playing fast. He pumped-faked the ball, so I just tried to make a play. That’s how it goes.”