Jauan Jennings isn’t making many friends on the opposite sideline, but he’s got the full support of 49ers coach coach Kyle Shanahan.
Jennings angered defensive lineman Shelby Harris and drew a more subtle rebuke from defensive end Myles Garrett for his choice of words in Sunday’s 26-8 road win over the Cleveland Browns.
Jennings caught four passes for 39 yards from quarterback Brock Purdy, including a 7-yard touchdown in early in the fourth quarter that put the 49ers up 23-8.
“I love how Jauan plays,” Shanahan said Monday in a conference call with local media. “Jauan plays to the whistle as good and as well as any player in the league. And he’s been doing that, as Niner fans know, and you guys know, since he’s been here.”
In the previous week’s 20-9 win over Carolina, Jennings drew the ire of the Panthers’ Tre’von Moehrig to the point where the safety struck Jennings in the groin during the game. Jennings sought out Moehrig postgame and struck him in retaliation.
Moehrig drew a one-game suspension and didn’t play Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. Jennings was fined $12,172 for the extra curricular scuffle.
“He was doing some extra stuff after the play, and talking crazy like he was doing something,” Moehrig told the Charlotte Observer.
The incident against Cleveland had more to do with what Jennings said rather than what he did.
“Like I see why he got punched in the (groin), because he said some things that you should not say to another man, ever,” Harris told reporters. “But, like, I don’t respect it because you say that then run behind your O-line. That’s some real soft (expletive), and I want that known. I see exactly why they punched him in the (groin). I’m surprised nobody punched him in the jaw yet.”
Garrett made it clear he thought Jennings’ trash talk was overly personal.
“I can’t speak for how he was raised, but if you have nothing good to say, don’t say something to somebody,” Garrett said. “He had a lot to say that was demeaning and disparaging toward some of our players. … Some guys roll like that. I don’t feel like that belongs in the game.”
Shanahan believes Jennings takes his intensity right to the edge and more often than not knows when to stop.
“J.J. has been real, real good at not breaking rules that way, and he gets other guys to break them a lot on him,” Shanahan said.
If Jennings crossed the line with his words, Shanahan is unaware of it.
“I think we all have a respect level and things that we stay away from,” Shanahan said. “I’d have to hear it to have an opinion on it, but I haven’t heard what he said that offended them so much. That’s just trash talk between a couple of people on the field.”
The injury front
— The 49ers lost left guard Ben Bartch with a possible lisfranc ligament injury to his foot which will put him on injured reserve and likely end his season if surgery is required. It’s the latest disappointment to Bartch, who has done some good things but has been unable to stay healthy for a decent stretch since joining the 49ers.
— Fullback Kyle Juszczyk sustained a rib fracture and will be evaluated after the bye week. Linebacker Nick Martin is in the concussion protocol.
— The 49ers hope to get back place kicker Eddy Piñeiro as well as linebacker Tatum Bethune and defensive end Sam Okinyinonu following the bye but none are sure things. They’ll be evaluated after the 49ers reconvene after taking time off.
Notable
— Shanahan did something he almost never does to open the game against Cleveland. After the 49ers won the coin toss, the 49ers took the ball rather than deferring and getting the ball to open the second half.
The reason? Wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour.
“I wanted to have the wind at our back in the fourth quarter and that was the only way to get that done,” Shanahan said.
— The bye week gives the 49ers a chance to get linebacker Eric Kendricks acclimated to the defense. Kendricks, 33, signed with the 49ers practice squad last week.
“Last week we had a short week and we really didn’t do anything full speed,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully he can get all that conditioning in and really show us where he’s at.”
— Shanahan wants the 49ers to recharge their batteries before getting back into action. And that includes himself.
“Everyone’s been going seven days a week for awhile now,” Shanahan said. “I think it’s so important that guys get away and get their mind away . . . I’ll try and stay out of the office. I just really try to be with the family, non-stop, and hang out with my dog and catch up with that stuff.”
Uncle Sherm feeling special
Former 49ers’ cornerback Richard Sherman has taken notice of the 49ers’ special teams acumen under coordinator Brant Boyer.
“Special teams and that phase of the game is where the 49ers are a different team then they were last year,” Sherman said on his podcast. “They are providing incredible value and they had a huge hand in beating Cleveland. Skyy Moore is the best returner the 49ers have had since probably Ted Ginn. He’s making an impact in big games and helping them play winning football.”
Pro Bowl voting
Early returns in voting for the 2025 Pro Bowl games show Christian McCaffrey and Juszczyk among the top 10 vote-getters overall as well as being among six players who are currently top 10 in their position group.
McCaffrey, on pace to become the first back in NFL history to have two seasons of 1,000-yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving, is sixth overall with 24,636 votes and third among running backs (Jonathan Taylor of Indianapolis has 25,134 for No. 5 and Jahmyr Gibbs of Detroit has 24,951).
Juszczyk is the 10th highest vote-getter overall and the leader among fullbacks with 22,982 votes.
Other 49ers in the top 10 at their position include left tackle Trent Williams (No. 2, trailing Detroit’s Peneii Sewell), tight end George Kittle (seventh), safety Ji’Ayir Brown (ninth) and return specialist Skyy Moore (10th).
New England quarterback Drake Maye leads all vote getters with 31,452 votes.
Three former 49ers are in the top 10 at defensive tackle — Maliek Collins (No. 3, Cleveland), Arik Armstead (No. 6, Jacksonville) and DeForest Buckner (No. 9, Indianapolis).
Fans can vote at 49ers.com/vote or ProBowl.com/vote.
SNAP JUDGEMENTS
A look at who played and how much for the 49ers in the Week 13 win over Cleveland:
67: With control of the game in the fourth quarter, only two 49ers on offense played every snap — right tackle Colton McKivitz and right guard Dominic Puni.
63: Safeties Ji’Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha played every snap and are rounding nicely into a solid last line of defense. Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and linebacker Dee Winters als didn’t miss a snap.
58: Ricky Pearsall Jr. played the most snaps of any wide receiver but was targeted only three times, with two receptions for 14 yards including a 13-yard first-down reception.
54: Jennings was on the field 81 percent of the time and in that span did little to endear himself to Cleveland defenders.
46: Spencer Burford played his most snaps since getting 66 against the New York Giants in Week 9 while Bartch played 21 before he was injured.
39: Clelin Ferrell played 15 more snaps than he had in any game since joining the 49ers this season. It was the most he’s played for the 49ers since Oct. 23 against Minnesota, when he had 40 snaps.
38: Defensive tackle Alfred Collins had just a single assisted tackle but continued to get rave reviews from tight end George Kittle.
“I cannot get over Alfred Collins,” Kittle said. “I think he’s such a good player. If you watch the All-22 he’s making so many plays and putting so much effort and hustle into it. I’m just so proud of him.”
0: Moore didn’t play an offensive snap but had a 66-yard punt return to set up a touchdown in six special teams snaps. When/if Jacob Cowing (remember him?) is healthy, it’s hard to imagine him regaining his role as return specialist.
“It’s good to see him break some of these long ones,” McCaffrey said. “The whole first half of the year we were always, `he’s hitting it the right way.’ He plays with no hesitation.”