There’s been little to celebrate for the San Francisco 49ers this season, but Jauan Jennings can hit 1,000 yards for the first time to end his breakthrough year in style
The San Francisco 49ers have endured plenty of attrition during the 2024 season, but they go into their final game of the campaign with the star performer from last season’s Super Bowl on the verge of a career milestone.
Few players are better built for the grind of an NFL campaign than 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings, who was deservedly rewarded with a contract extension during the offseason after throwing and receiving a touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII last February. That performance epitomized Jennings’ underrated value to the 49ers and his knack for coming through in the clutch, which has again been apparent throughout this season.
From leaping over defenders to make spectacular catches, to carrying them on his back to pick up extra yardage after the catch, Jennings has produced a host of the defining positive plays in an underwhelming season. Heading into San Francisco’s season finale with the Arizona Cardinals, Jennings stands on the precipice of a huge achievement in his career. Indeed, Jennings is just 77 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season.
The milestone would be reflective of a season in which he has proven he is more than capable of being a starting receiver in the NFL. Jennings stepped up to excel in that role with Brandon Aiyuk lost for the year in Week 7 with a knee injury.
Additionally, it would also owe greatly to Jennings’ “dog mentality,” a catch-all term that describes his mindset for games, which head coach Kyle Shanahan explained in greater detail after a win over the Chicago Bears on Dec. 8. “Jauan goes as hard as he can in every single situation,” said Shanahan.
“Doesn’t matter whether the ball is in his hands. He’s running around or he’s blocking, doesn’t matter whether it’s a deep throw, an underneath throw in practice or in games. Jauan is always just going 100 miles an hour and playing as physical as he can.”
Asked later how that mindset helps him on the field, Jennings exclusively told Mirror US Sports: “I think it’s extremely helpful. I think that’s what separates me from others. I can always outwill my opponent.”
Separating himself from others is something Jennings has done increasingly well over the course of a career that is very much on an upward trajectory. Jennings’ combination of being 6-foot-3 and 212-pounds while having an underrated route-running skillset, along with an evidently excellent rapport with quarterback Brock Purdy, have made him very difficult for opposing defenders to contain and allowed him to post numbers comparable to the best in the game at his position.
Jennings, per Sumer Sports, ranks seventh in yards per route run (2.89) among receivers with at least 100 routes run in the 2024 season. Additionally, he is tied for 16th in his position for receptions of 10 yards or more, illustrating his status as one of the 49ers’ most reliable chain-movers.
His total of 41 such plays is tied with New York Jets duo Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams, and Courtland Sutton of the Denver Broncos. It also has him above DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans Pro Bowler Nico Collins, and Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins, the latter of whom is likely to receive a huge contract this offseason.
That is the kind of company Jennings finds himself keeping at the end of a breakout campaign, which has come during his fourth full season in a Shanahan offense that is complicated to learn but does an excellent job of putting receivers in positions to succeed. And Jennings believes his success this season is at least in part attributable to his comfort level in Shanahan’s dynamic scheme.
On how much of a role his experience has played in his surge in 2024, Jennings added: “It helps a lot. It just shows that you’re always growing, always learning. These four years racked up, I think it helps a lot, just building confidence and sticking with that.”
Jennings has every reason for his confidence to be sky-high as he approaches his fifth season as a member of the 49ers’ 53-man roster next season. The former Tennessee receiver was drafted by the 49ers in the seventh round but spent his first year in the league on San Francisco’s practice squad.
Jennings caught a touchdown pass and threw for a touchdown during Super Bowl 58. ( Image: 2024 Focus on Sport)
At that point, he and 2020 first-round pick Aiyuk were in very different positions in terms of their prominence. However, with Aiyuk seemingly on track in his recovery from knee surgery, the prospect of having both back on the field together at the same time is a big reason why the 49ers can afford to have the optimism of a bounce-back season in 2025.
Aiyuk had successive 1,000-yard seasons prior to this year, while, by surpassing that milestone again this year, tight end George Kittle now has two in a row for the second time in his career. Jennings reaching the hallowed figure for the first time would be another demonstration of the 49ers’ strength in depth at the offensive skill positions that will likely put Brock Purdy and Co. in a strong position to resume normal service next season.
Purdy will not be under center for the finale on Sunday, but it is perhaps fitting for Jennings that instead, it will be backup Joshua Dobbs – with whom he shared a tremendous connection in college at Tennessee – looking to help him reach a new high point in his career. There will be no drop-off in terms of understanding between quarterback and wide receiver and Jennings will also have the benefit of a head coach well aware of the yardage needed to get him to four figures.
“You always want to do that stuff for guys, especially in a situation where you can think about it,” Shanahan said on Wednesday of getting Jennings to 1,000. That will be great for Jennings to hear, given he made no effort to undersell how much getting that reward for years of playing with the dog mentality will mean to him and those around him.
“It means the most to my career, my family, me as a full grown man, me as a kid again. It means everything,” Jennings concluded.