In the second quarter of the NFC Championship Game, there was a Seahawks punt that saw gunner Jeremy Lane forced onto the 49ers sideline as he tried to make his way toward punt returner LaMichael James.
Before Lane could get back onto the field, he fell while trying to run between a pair of people on the 49ers sideline. It appears that Lane goes down after taking a blow from the forearm or elbow of an as yet unidentified man in a black top, although the angle of the shot shown on television Sunday makes it unclear exactly where any contact is made. There’s also a down marker lying flat on the ground just where Lane stumbles to the turf, which may have contributed to how things played out.
The NFL is reportedly going to try to figure out what happened on the play. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the league office will review the play to determine whether there’s any need for league discipline to anyone from the 49ers as a result.
If the NFL decides there was intent to interfere with the play by the 49ers, there will likely be a fine handed down although it will take a clearer view than the one shown on FOX to make a definitive call on that front.