NFL fines 49ers owner Jed York $500,000 and suspends him six games

The National Football League announced that San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York will be fined $500,000 and suspended for six regular-season games for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy. York was arrested in late August in Ohio after responding to a fictitious advertisement on a prostitution website, using the alias “Joe.”

During the league’s investigation, York missed the 49ers’ first three regular-season games and was absent from NFL meetings; those three games count toward his suspension, and he is eligible to return on Oct. 20, the start of Week 7 of the 2026 season.

York issued a statement accepting the NFL’s decision, apologizing to the team, fans and his family, and acknowledging the incident as a personal mistake. He said he hopes to demonstrate accountability to his sons and regain trust over time.

According to a report from The Athletic, York, a Youngstown, Ohio native, arranged a meeting at a mobile-home park in East Palestine, Ohio, and agreed to pay $160 for a one-hour “full-service sexual activity.” Police, posing as a woman, set up the sting. When York could not locate the alleged lot number, officers arrested him. He initially faced a prostitution charge that was later reduced to disorderly conduct, and he also faced a misdemeanor for possession of a criminal tool, a classification that can include a cell phone used in the communication. York pleaded no contest to both charges, received a two-day jail sentence and a $1,150 fine.

The NFL’s penalty mirrors the sanction imposed on Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay in 2014 for a DUI conviction. By contrast, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft faced no league discipline after charges of soliciting prostitution were dropped.

York has led the 49ers since 2008, becoming the principal owner in 2024 after buying out family equity. Under his tenure, the franchise has reached three Super Bowls but has not won a championship since the 1994 season.