49ers Awaiting NFL Punishment Decision After Jayden Daniels Incident

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

49ers Awaiting NFL Punishment Decision After Jayden Daniels Incident

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Xavier Constantino | Last updated Oct 20, 2026 1:54 PM ET

The San Francisco 49ers survived a scare on Monday night, beating the Washington Commanders 23-17 to improve to 6-0 on the season. After building a 20-3 halftime lead, San Francisco let Washington climb back into the game and needed a late stop to hold on.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels played well in the defeat. The 25-year-old completed 29 out of 40 passes for 300 yards and threw two touchdowns in the second half. He was sacked four times.

Daniels drew a roughing the passer penalty from the Niners, and it was a costly one. With 9:53 left in the fourth quarter, defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa hit Daniels late after he released a 23-yard completion to wide receiver Antonio Williams on 3rd-and-8.

Niners get flagged for roughing the passer on this late hit to Jayden Daniels pic.twitter.com/izEwwOACcI
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) October 20, 2026

Odighizuwa looked to have raised his helmet towards Daniels’s head as he hit him. The flag moved Washington to first-and-goal, and the Commanders scored on the drive to make it a one-score game.

Hits like these are exactly what the NFL is trying to prevent and the league has been punishing such tackles even more harshly. This play could be reviewed by the NFL to determine whether Odighizuwa will be fined.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Per the NFL fines and appeals schedule, a first-time roughing the passer penalty could cost Odighizuwa $17,911, while a second offense bumps that up to $23,882.

The league typically takes just under a week to announce a final decision. However, given the impact of the penalty on the game, the league may be watching very closely.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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