Deommodore Lenoir’s NFL career didn’t start off easily. He once accidentally posted a video of an offseason practice to social media, which led to a fine for both the San Francisco 49ers and their coach, Kyle Shanahan, for breaking the league’s no-contact rules during practice.
Lenoir also faced struggles on the field early in his rookie season. In his third game, he allowed a big catch to Davante Adams, setting up a game-winning field goal for Green Bay, which hurt his confidence.
However, Lenoir has made huge progress since then, turning into one of the rare cornerbacks who can play both inside and outside. His development led to a big reward: a five-year, $92 million contract extension that firmly establishes him as one of the top players in his position.
“When I heard my agent tell me the deal was finally done, I burst out into tears,” Lenoir said on Wednesday. “I’m finally able to change my family’s life for generations. It’s just a blessing.”
Lenoir’s path to success wasn’t easy. He was picked in the fifth round of the 2021 draft and had a slow start to his career. But even from the beginning, he showed promise, like when he posted a video of himself jamming a receiver. That video caused the 49ers to face a $100,000 fine and Shanahan to be fined $50,000.
“That was the first time I ever got mad at him, but I was really excited about it,” Shanahan said. “Despite what it took away, my kids’ college tuition. But it showed we had the right type of dude, and he’s always been like that.
The fact that he can play nickel inside and cover guys outside, are the types of guys you want in the secondary and a special type of corner.”
At first, Lenoir worried he might get cut after seeing the video on social media, but now he can laugh about it.
“I can finally pay Kyle back for Carter’s tuition,” Lenoir joked.
Lenoir’s performance on the field has earned him a large contract, making him the 12th-highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, based on his average yearly salary.
This season, Lenoir has become one of the league’s top cornerbacks, excelling at both inside and outside positions for San Francisco. He has allowed 35 catches on 56 targets, with a passer rating of 65 on throws into his coverage, according to Pro Football Focus.
“It’s hard enough to cover on the outside,” said All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner. “You usually find a guy who is good at covering or a bigger guy who is good in the run game. But to find a guy that could do both at as high a level that he is. I think he’s having an All-Pro type of year.”
Lenoir has yet to allow any touchdowns, and he has two interceptions, six passes defensed, and one forced fumble. He also returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown.
“He’s earned it as much as anybody,” said defensive end Nick Bosa. “I think he’s an underrated player when it comes to recognition around the league. But everybody in this building knows how valuable he is.”
The 49ers made keeping Lenoir a priority, especially with two of their top cornerbacks, including Charvarius Ward, set to be free agents soon.
Now, with Lenoir and promising rookie Renardo Green, the 49ers have a strong long-term plan at cornerback. The team tried to finalize the deal before the season but couldn’t agree on terms until this week, locking Lenoir in for the future.
“I knew this where I wanted to be,” Lenoir said. “Hopefully, we could have gotten something done earlier, but I’m happy we got something done, and I’m here, and I remain here for the rest of my career. … Just being able to play with all these great guys. I had no other option but to try and be great.”
