Jennings signs rookie contract with 49ers

Jauan Jennings

 Photo: UT Athletics

Jauan Jennings did everything in his power to prevent Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs from winning Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday.

The former University of Tennessee and Blackman High standout played a part in each of the San Francisco 49ers’ two touchdowns, and he also drew a critical penalty against Kansas City in overtime.

In the end, though, it wasn’t enough, as the Chiefs beat the 49ers 25-22 on Mecole Hardman’s touchdown reception.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes was named the game’s most valuable player after throwing for 333 yards and two touchdowns.

But Jennings likely would have claimed the award had the 49ers found a way to win.

Jennings, a wide receiver, threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffery and caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy, the latter giving San Francisco a 16-13 lead early in the fourth quarter. He wound up with four catches for 42 yards and a touchdown, after making only 19 catches in 13 games during the 2023 regular season.

The Cowan native became just the second player in history with a touchdown pass and catch in a Super Bowl game, per ESPN.

Jennings was one of the nation’s top quarterback recruits while at Blackman, but switched to receiver when he went to Tennessee. Still, Jennings threw two touchdown passes on trick plays during his Vols tenure— hitting former Titans quarterback Josh Dobbs for four- and 58-yard scores.

He hadn’t attempted a pass in his four NFL seasons, but Jennings’ cross-field throw to McCaffery was on the money.

In the fourth quarter, with the 49ers trailing 13-10, Purdy hit Jennings on a short slant six yards short of the goal line. Jennings was well covered on the play, but broke away from Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed’s tackle and bulled his way into the end zone for an unlikely score.

The heart shown by Jennings on the play prompted Jim Nagy, executive director of the Senior Bowl, to tweet what a Tennessee coach once told him about the 6-3, 212-pound receiver. (Jennings played in the 2020 Senior Bowl.)

“Will never forget what a Tennessee coach told me about Jauan Jennings' competitiveness: 'He wants to rip your face off.' All-time line that always stuck with me. And a big reason why Jennings has become the NFL player he is.”

A seventh-round draft pick of the 49ers in 2020, Jennings made another big contribution in overtime.

With the 49ers facing third-and-13 at their own 22-yard-line, he drew a holding call on Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie, a penalty that earned a first down and eventually helped San Francisco take a 22-19 lead.

But Mahomes and the Chiefs scored a touchdown on the next drive, putting an end to San Francisco’s Super Bowl dream and Jennings’ MVP hopes.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.