Jed York, 49ers owner suspended for six games and fined $500,000 by NFL after Ohio prostitution plea

The NFL has suspended San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York for six games and fined him $500,000 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, the league announced Friday. The punishment follows his no-contest plea to a pair of misdemeanor charges in Ohio after an August arrest on suspicion of engaging in prostitution.

York did not attend any of the 49ers’ first three games. Those absences count as time served toward the suspension. He is eligible to return to the team on October 20, the day after San Francisco faces the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football.

What the NFL ruled

The league’s decision treats the Ohio case as a personal-conduct matter, not a football operations issue. A six-game ban and a $500,000 fine are among the heavier owner-level penalties the NFL has issued in recent years. Jed York remains the 49ers’ majority owner and chief executive. Day-to-day football decisions stay with the front office and coaching staff while he is away from the building.

He has been the team’s CEO since 2008 and became majority owner in 2024. Notably, in September York was in Melbourne, Australia, for the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams but did not attend the game. He also missed the next two home games at Levi’s Stadium, against the Miami Dolphins and the Arizona Cardinals.

What happened in Ohio

According to Columbiana County court records obtained, Jed York allegedly responded to an undercover ad on a known prostitution website and “arranged to have sexual activity with the female in exchange for $140” while using a pseudonym. The East Palestine Police Department, working with the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, arrested him on August 23 at the Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community.

Authorities initially charged him with misdemeanor counts of engaging in prostitution and possessing criminal tools. The prostitution count was amended to misdemeanor disorderly conduct as part of the plea agreement, according to court records. York pleaded no contest on Aug. 24. He paid $1,150 in fines and was sentenced to one day in jail on each charge, to be served concurrently, with one day already considered served.

Jed York’s statement

The 49ers released a statement from York after the NFL announcement.

“To my family, to the players, coaches, and employees of the San Francisco 49ers, to our fans and partners, I am deeply sorry,” York said. “This was an inexcusable mistake and I take full responsibility. What I did does not reflect my values or the man I strive to be for my family.

“While I fell short of the model I want to set for my sons, I now hope to show them the importance of owning up to one’s failures, and that even our worst moments teach us to be better. Leading the 49ers is a privilege, and one I don’t take lightly. Your trust will have to be earned back over time, and I look forward to that work ahead.”

What comes next

Jed York filed for divorce from his wife, Danielle, in May. He is not expected at the facility during the suspension window. His first eligible day back is October 20, after the Monday night game against Washington. The 49ers have not announced any change in ownership structure or executive duties tied to the ban.