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Fans Demand 49ers OL Trent Williams' Ejection for Punching Giants' A'Shawn Robinson

Julia StumbaughSeptember 22, 2023

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 17: Trent Williams #71 of the San Francisco 49ers during warm up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on September 17, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Harry How/Getty Images

Thursday Night Football between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers got chippy at the end of the first half.

Fans demanded the ejection of 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams after he took a shot at the head of Giants defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson.

Both teams earned unnecessary roughness penalties on the play. There were no ejections.

NFL on CBS 🏈 @NFLonCBS

Trent Williams took a shot at A'Shawn Robinson. <a href="https://t.co/yqL3bLEMvT">pic.twitter.com/yqL3bLEMvT</a>

SportsCenter @SportsCenter

Unnecessary roughness penalties were called on both teams following this play 😳 <a href="https://t.co/sHiRLjikXi">pic.twitter.com/sHiRLjikXi</a>

The 49ers were leading 17-6 at the half.

Throwing punches has been cause for ejections from NFL games in the past, including during last season's contentious Week 18 game between the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, but does not carry a mandatory ejection penalty.

According to the 2023 NFL rulebook, throwing a punch or a forearm is classified as an "unsportsmanlike conduct foul," which results in automatic disqualification if committed twice in the same game.

However, those actions can result in automatic disqualification at the official's discretion.

Viewers watching the game argued the referees should have used that discretion to pull Williams from the contest.

Fans Demand 49ers OL Trent Williams' Ejection for Punching Giants' A'Shawn Robinson
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Rob "Stats" Guerrera @StatsOnFire

Trent Williams should be ejected - he threw a punch.

Art Stapleton @art_stapleton

That was a legit right hook to Robinson's face mask from Trent Williams. He should be ejected. <a href="https://t.co/vq6h3nNZg3">https://t.co/vq6h3nNZg3</a>

Shaun O'Hara @ShaunOHara60

So we just ignoring the fact that Trent Williams just Punched Robinson?? How do they not show that in replay &amp; discuss it? No ejection? Wow huge miss <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLonPrime?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFLonPrime</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYGvsSF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYGvsSF</a>

Ari Meirov @MySportsUpdate

Here's another angle of what Trent Williams did. This is almost always an ejection.<br><br>Brian Daboll was livid.<a href="https://t.co/33U9InwlLJ">pic.twitter.com/33U9InwlLJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/pXCPbroHGy">https://t.co/pXCPbroHGy</a>

Charlie Quinn @CharlieQuinnMMA

How on earth is this not an ejection? How is this acceptable?

Avery Zaretsky @averyzaretsky

Leonard Williams finishes a tackle within a millisecond of the ball being thrown - Flag (lead to a SF touchdown)<br><br>Trent Williams throws a punch (which is an automatic ejection) - Nothing<a href="https://t.co/oWwZkMQqQF">pic.twitter.com/oWwZkMQqQF</a>

Marcus Mosher @Marcus_Mosher

How does Trent Williams stay in this game?!?

Others called for ejections for both players, pointing out that Robinson made contact with Williams' chin before Williams threw the hit.

Williams, who is in his 13th NFL season, is coming off of two consecutive All-Pro campaigns for the 49ers.

Robinson is in his first season with the Giants. He previously spent three years with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he recorded 42 combined tackles in 2022.

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