Former Tennessee receiver Jauan Jennings’ 2024 season was the best individual season of his professional career. But unfortunately for Jennings, it was a disappointing season for the 49ers as a team.
They entered week 18 with just a 6-10 record, having already been eliminated from playoff contention. Jennings, however, had some personal incentive for the week 18 game. He entered the matchup needing 77 receiving yards to reach 1,000 and to earn a financial bonus.
Many receivers would have cared little about the game itself and instead would have focused on reaching the 1,000-yard milestone. But that’s not Jennings’ nature.
Officials ejected Jennings from San Fransisco’s 47-24 loss against Arizona after fighting with a Cardinals’ defender. Jennings was physically blocking on the play and it boiled over into a minor fight after the whistle. The same thing happened on the next play and Jennings was ejected.
Here’s a look at the two plays here.
JAUAN JENNINGS IS A DAWG pic.twitter.com/9AKUnui2hU
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It’s that level of intensity and competitiveness that endeared Jennings to Tennessee fans during his five seasons in Knoxville and to 49ers fans during his five years in San Fransisco. He expressed his disagreement with the decision to eject him following the game.
“Just a normal pancake (block) in the book of football,” Jennings said. “Took him to the ground and I try to get up and he wouldn’t let me get up. Just kept grabbing my face mask and jersey as much as he could.”
“Humans make mistakes. They threw me out and I think it was a mistake. Humans make those, so no regrets.”
Jennings caught seven passes for 52 yards before being ejected against Arizona. He came up just 25 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season and the bonus that came with it. The former Tennessee star noted that “it hurts a lot” not to reach the mark but that “everything happens for a reason.”
The 6-foot-3 receiver finished his 2024-25 season with 77 catches for 975 yards and six touchdowns. His previous best statistical season came in 2022 when he caught 35 passes for 416 yards and a touchdown.
