The penalty for grabbing a facemask in the NFL is 15 yards, but a Santa Clara man is facing more severe discipline for his own tug of a facemask on Monday night.
Santa Clara police announced that they arrested Jorge Alberto Lopez for felony vandalism after the conclusion of the 49ers’ home loss to the Seahawks on Monday night. The police report states Lopez was spotted ripping the facemask off of a statue of Joe Montana that is outside of Levi’s Stadium.
“The Joe Montana statue that is part of the ‘The Catch’ art installation located inside the stadium’s Gate A plaza was vandalized following our recent Monday Night Football game. Security personnel apprehended the individual soon thereafter and the Santa Clara Police Department arrested the individual on felony vandalism charges,” the 49ers said in a statement, via NBCBayArea.com. “Crews have already begun repairs on the statue and expect work to be complete prior to Sunday’s home game. As this is an ongoing police matter, we will not have any additional comment.”
The statue of Montana is joined by a statue of Dwight Clark reeling in his pass at the end of the 1981 NFC Championship Game. They were unveiled last October.
