Tag: Niners

September 18, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers special teams coordinator Brian Schneider before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Reports: 49ers fire special teams coordinator Brian Schneider

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The San Francisco 49ers fired special teams coach Brian Schneider, multiple media outlets reported.

Schneider’s special teams had several high-profile mishaps during his third season with the 49ers, who limped to a 6-11 finish in 2024 and missed the playoffs.

A blocked punt led to San Francisco’s undoing in its 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 15. The 49ers allowed the conversion of a fake punt and a missed field goal the following week, miscues that led to a 27-24 setback to the Los Angeles Rams.

Jake Moody, 25, made 24 of 34 field-goal attempts in 2024 after San Francisco used a third-round pick on the kicker in the 2023 NFL Draft. He misfired on 5 of 14 attempts from at least 40 yards after returning from a high ankle sprain.

Schneider, 53, served as a special teams coordinator in both the collegiate and NFL ranks.

He spent two seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders (2007-08), 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (2010-20) and one with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2021) before leaving that club for personal reasons.

–Field Level Media

Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) escapes a tackle by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54) in the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Cardinals put on offensive display in routing 49ers

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Kyler Murray tied a career high with four touchdown passes and did not throw an interception Sunday to lead the Arizona Cardinals to a 47-24 victory and season sweep of the San Francisco 49ers at Glendale, Ariz.

Murray was 25 of 35 for 242 yards for Arizona, which concluded its season 8-9.

San Francisco (6-11) played without starting quarterback Brock Purdy (elbow) and receiver Deebo Samuel (ribs and wrist).

Arizona did not play leading rusher James Conner (knee).

Purdy’s replacement Joshua Dobbs started eight games for the Cardinals last season while Murray nursed a knee injury.

Dobbs completed 29 of 43 pass attempts on Sunday for 326 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Patrick Taylor Jr. rushed for 109 yards on 17 carries for the 49ers.

Arizona’s Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride had seven catches for 65 yards, finishing with a franchise-best 111 for a tight end and five receptions shy of Zach Ertz’s NFL record for most catches in a season at that position.

Ertz had 116 with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. He later played for Arizona before joining Washington this season.

The game included 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings and Arizona cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting ejected in the second quarter after they got into a shoving match.

Before that occurred, the Cardinals converted a Murphy-Bunting interception into a touchdown early in the second quarter.

Seven plays after the interception, Murray completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Greg Dortch, giving Arizona a 10-3 lead with 12:55 left in the half.

Dobbs engineered two scoring drives in the second quarter that included his 1-yard scoring run and a 6-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Pearsall.

Also in the second quarter, Murray completed a 2-yard scoring strike to McBride and a 25-yard pass to Zay Jones that set up Chad Ryland’s 49-yard field goal as the half came to an end, putting Arizona ahead 20-17.

The teams continued to trade touchdowns in the third quarter with Murray completing a 2-yard scoring pass to Dortch and Dobbs connecting with Kyle Juszczyk for a 36-yard score.

Michael Carter put Arizona ahead 33-24 with 14:16 left in regulation on a 4-yard touchdown run.

Murray’s fourth touchdown pass, a 12-yard pass to Marvin Harrison Jr., increased the lead to 40-24 with 5:47 left. Harrison’s eight TD catches this season tied the franchise record for rookies, shared with Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.

Tony Jones’ 46-yard touchdown run with 1:47 left closed the scoring, producing the most points for Arizona in a game since 2015.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) celebrates a touchdown against San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024.

Lions beat 49ers as showdown with Vikings awaits

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Jared Goff threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns and the Detroit Lions defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 40-34, at Santa Clara, Calif., on Monday night.

Jameson Williams scored two touchdowns for Detroit (14-2) but the game had no bearing on the playoff picture. The Lions’ home game against Minnesota on Sunday night in the final game of the regular season will determine the top seed in the NFC playoffs.

Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and also gained 46 yards on four receptions.

Brock Purdy passed for a career-high 377 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another score, but was intercepted twice in the second half by Kerby Joseph. Ricky Pearsall caught eight passes for 141 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

San Francisco (6-10) led 21-13 at halftime.

The Niners scored on their first possession on Purdy’s 3-yard pass to Pearsall. The Lions answered with a 65-yard drive that Williams finished off with a 3-yard run. The extra point try was blocked, leaving the score at 7-6.

San Francisco scored again on the first play of the second quarter, a 9-yard pass from Purdy to Kyle Juszczyk.

Detroit used some razzle dazzle for its next score. On third and 12, Goff connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown on a short pass. St. Brown then pitched the ball to Williams, who raced down the sideline on the 42-yard hook-and-ladder play.

The Niners got those points back less than four minutes later on Purdy’s 9-yard scramble for the touchdown.

The Lions tied it at 21-apiece on their first possession of the second half when Goff completed a 6-yard pass to Sam LaPorta for the touchdown 5:02 into the third quarter, then hooked up with Tim Patrick on the 2-point conversion.

Purdy passed for 79 yards on the Niners’ ensuing possession, including a 5-yarder to Deebo Samuel for the touchdown that made it 28-21 in favor of San Francisco.

The Lions took the lead before the quarter ended. First, Jake Bates blasted a 57-yard field goal with 4:25 remaining in the third quarter, then Joseph’s first interception set up Goff’s fourth-down, 4-yard touchdown pass to St. Brown with 19 seconds to go in the quarter.

Bates extended the advantage to six at 34-28 on his 42-yard field goal with 10:29 left in the game.

Joseph’s second interception halted the Niners’ next possession and Gibbs’ 30-yard touchdown run with 2:58 remaining put the game away.

San Francisco backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs — who came in when Purdy was injured late — scored on a 7-yard run with 43 seconds left to make it a one-score game, but Jake Moody’s onside kick went out of bounds and the Lions kneeled out the clock.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) talks to teammates before a snap against Chicago Bears during the first half at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024.

Lions prepare for NFC Championship rematch vs. banged-up 49ers

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The Detroit Lions will know how meaningful their matchup with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night will carry before they step on the field.

If Minnesota defeats Green Bay on Sunday, the Lions will still have to beat the Vikings in the regular-season finale to take the NFC North and gain the top seed in the NFC playoffs. If the Packers win, the Lions (13-2) can lock up the division and best record in the NFC with a victory in Santa Clara, Calif.

In either case, Lions coach Dan Campbell plans to go all out to defeat the team that dashed their Super Bowl dreams in last season’s NFC Championship game. Detroit led 24-7 at halftime but San Francisco rallied for a 34-31 victory.

“I think that experience, as difficult as it was, served us well moving forward into this year,” Campbell said. “You don’t like to lose, so you’ve got an opportunity with a team that got the best of you, and so you just want to go out and find a way to get a win.”

With power back David Montgomery sidelined by a knee injury, Jahmyr Gibbs had 27 touches in a 34-17 win over Chicago on Sunday. He rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and gained another 45 yards on four receptions. Montgomery is expected to return for the playoffs, but the Niners can expect to see plenty of Gibbs on Monday.

Jared Goff surpassed the 4,000-yard passing mark against the Bears. He’s thrown for 17 touchdowns, compared to one interception, over the last six games.

San Francisco (6-9) has lost five of its last six games and was officially eliminated from playoff contention last weekend. Kyle Shanahan expects his team to handle that reality in a professional manner.

“You’ve still got to go out there and perform the same way,” Shanahan said.

Goff expects a strong challenge, regardless of San Francisco’s plight.

“They’re a good team, I don’t care that they’re eliminated,” he said. “They have a lot of great players on that team that have played in big games and they’re going to want to beat us, so we have to come out ready to go. It’ll be hard on the road, good atmosphere — I get a lot of family there, which will be nice, but it’ll be a good one.”

With top running backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason out for the season, the Niners’ offense has become increasingly reliant on quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle.

Purdy has passed for more than 300 yards in two of the last three games. Kittle has led the club in receiving yards four of the last five games.

Purdy threw for 31 touchdowns last season, compared to 17 this year with McCaffrey sidelined most of the year and premier receiver Brandon Aiyuk sustaining a season-ending injury in the early going.

“This year, just having a number of his guys down and things like that, it’s been harder for (Purdy),” Shanahan said. “Usually, that stuff can make you better. He fought through it all year and he’s got two more weeks to fight through it.

“I think he’s disappointed,” Shanahan added. “He had high expectations this year, just like we all did. He hasn’t ever been in a losing situation yet, so that’s been very hard for him.”

San Francisco placed offensive tackle Trent Williams (ankle) on injured reserve. The Niners have also shut down linebacker Dre Greenlaw due to leg injuries. Running back Isaac Guerendo, who missed the Niners’ 29-17 loss to Miami on Sunday, practiced on a limited basis on Thursday.

Detroit cornerback Terrion Arnold missed Thursday’s practice due to an illness.

–Field Level Media

Dec 22, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) runs the ball between San Francisco 49ers defensive end Leonard Floyd (56) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (29) during first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

De’Von Achane, Dolphins prevail as 49ers drop out of playoff chase

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Jason Sanders kicked five field goals and De’Von Achane accounted for 190 total yards from scrimmage and the clinching touchdown in the Miami Dolphins’ 29-17 win over the visiting San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Tua Tagovailoa completed 22 of 34 passes for 215 yards and a score for Miami (7-8), which maintained its slim playoff hopes in the AFC. The Dolphins must win their last two games, hope for two losses from the Los Angeles Chargers and get other help to perhaps earn the final wild-card spot in their conference.

Achane rushed for 120 yards on 17 carries, including a 50-yard touchdown run with 1:36 left in the game to seal the outcome, and caught six passes for 70 yards. Sanders kept Miami in the lead the entire second half, adding 54-, 33- and 48-yard field goals to his two successful kicks in the first half.

Brock Purdy hit on 26 of 40 passes for 313 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for San Francisco (6-9). He found Eric Saubert for a 2-yard score with 12:02 remaining in the game to pull the 49ers within 19-17, but they couldn’t get over the hump.

The Dolphins outgained the 49ers 381-374, possessing the ball for 33:06.

San Francisco got bad news before the game even kicked off. Results from the early games on Sunday officially eliminated the 49ers, a season after they went to overtime with Kansas City in the Super Bowl before losing.

Still, they took a 7-3 lead 46 seconds into the second quarter when Purdy found Deebo Samuel for a 16-yard touchdown pass. That answered Sanders’ 44-yard field goal that opened the scoring with 3:30 left in the first quarter.

Sanders connected from 38 at the 9:40 mark of the second period, followed by Tagovailoa’s 3-yard strike to Tyreek Hill with 3:20 remaining that gave Miami a 13-7 edge.

San Francisco got to the Miami 3-yard line on its final possession of the half before settling for Jake Moody’s 21-yard field goal that chopped its deficit to three points at the break.

–Field Level Media

Dec 1, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Nick McCloud (35) and San Francisco 49ers linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (59) tackle Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) during the first half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

49ers say LB De’Vondre Campbell refused to enter game

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The San Francisco 49ers have endured the absence of numerous players due to injury all season.

On Thursday, they were down a player who merely didn’t want to participate.

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said linebacker De’Vondre Campbell wouldn’t go in the game in the second half as the 49ers fell 12-6 to the Los Angeles Rams in Santa Clara, Calif.

Campbell, 31, had made 12 starts in 13 games this season prior to Thursday, when Dre Greenlaw took his position after recovering from an Achilles tear he sustained during the Super Bowl in January.

With Greenlaw experiencing foot soreness, Shanahan asked Campbell to take over in the third quarter.

“He said he didn’t want to play today,” Shanahan said, adding that Campbell gave no reason.

Shanahan said, “When someone says that, you move on. You don’t deal with that anymore. That’s somebody who doesn’t want to play football, that’s pretty simple. I think our team and myself, we know how we feel about that. I don’t think we need to talk about him anymore.”

Niners tight end George Kittle said, “I don’t like distractions on the sideline. I think it’s ignorant and I think it’s just dumb. It’s just stupid. It’s very immature. I just don’t see how you can do something like that to your team.”

San Francisco cornerback Charvarius “Mooney” Ward said of Campbell, “He’s a professional, he’s been playing for a long time. If he didn’t want to play, he shouldn’t have dressed out. He could have told them that before the game. … It definitely hurt the team because (Greenlaw) went down and we needed a linebacker, you know? … So for him to do that, that’s some selfishness.

“He’s probably going to be cut soon, so it is what it is with that.”

Campbell, in his first season with the 49ers, has 79 tackles and two passes defensed. He previously played for the Atlanta Falcons (2016-19), the Arizona Cardinals (2020) and the Green Bay Packers (2021-23). He made first-team All-Pro in 2021 when he had 146 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, five passes defensed and two sacks.

In 128 career NFL games (122 starts), Campbell has 858 tackles, seven interceptions, eight forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 30 passes defensed and 9.5 sacks.

–Field Level Media

Dec 12, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty (16) scores a field goal against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Four field goals prove enough for Rams to top 49ers

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Joshua Karty kicked a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 9:28 remaining and Darious Williams came down with a crucial interception to lift the Los Angeles Rams to a 12-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night in Santa Clara, Calif.

Heavy rain before halftime prevented both teams from finding an offensive rhythm, but Los Angeles (8-6) did just enough to earn its seventh win in nine games.

With the game tied at 6, it looked as if the Rams were headed for the end zone after Puka Nacua got behind San Francisco’s secondary and hauled in a 51-yard pass from Matthew Stafford early in the fourth quarter.

The 49ers’ defense soon got a stop on third-and-2, though, forcing Los Angeles to bring out Karty for his 27-yarder.

San Francisco (6-8) quickly worked down to the Los Angeles 33 on its ensuing drive. Brock Purdy proceeded to throw a deep ball near the near-side pylon that Williams picked off, and Karty later made good on a 29-yard field goal with 18 seconds to go.

Although a horse-collar tackle on the following kickoff set the Niners up at the 50-yard line, they couldn’t generate a miracle in the final seconds.

Stafford completed 16 of 27 passes for 160 yards, with Nacua (seven catches, 97 yards) serving as his favorite target. Kyren Williams was a workhorse on the ground, going for 108 yards on 29 carries.

Star receiver Cooper Kupp didn’t have a single reception for the Rams.

Purdy finished 14 of 31 for 142 yards and the interception. Isaac Guerendo had 16 carries for 57 yards as San Francisco got outgained 302-191 in total yards.

Jake Moody and Karty exchanged second-half field goals within a span of just under 10 minutes to forge the 6-6 tie.

Amid the rain, San Francisco punted on six of its seven first-half drives.

The 49ers’ only successful drive before the break ended with Moody’s 53-yard field goal with 10:01 left in the first quarter. A 33-yard completion to George Kittle over the middle helped set up the kick.

After punting on its five first drives of the game, Los Angeles finally tied the contest with 65 seconds remaining in the first half on a 48-yard field goal from Karty.

The Rams climbed within a half-game of the first-place Seattle Seahawks (8-5) in the NFC West. The defending conference champion 49ers are last in the division, a half-game behind the Arizona Cardinals (6-7).

–Field Level Media

Dec 8, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) catches a pass between Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) and safety Kevin Byard III (31) in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

49ers rout bumbling Bears to snap 3-game skid

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Brock Purdy passed for 325 yards and two touchdowns, Isaac Guerendo ran for two scores and Leonard Floyd registered two sacks against his former team as the host San Francisco 49ers routed the skidding Chicago Bears 38-13 on Sunday in Santa Clara, Calif.

San Francisco (6-7) stopped a three-game losing streak while remaining in the hunt in the NFC wild-card race.

Chicago lost its seventh in a row, stumbling through its first game under interim coach Thomas Brown, who took the reins after the organization fired third-year coach Matt Eberflus on Nov. 29. The Bears (4-9) were outgained 452-162.

The 49ers reached the end zone on three of their first four possessions and scored on four of their five first-half drives overall, excluding their kneel-down on the final play.

San Francisco raced down the field with the opening kickoff, needing just five plays and 2:40 of clock time to drive 70 yards for a touchdown. Purdy punctuated the drive with a seven-yard TD pass to Jauan Jennings, who also caught a 16-yard scoring pass to make it 21-0 with 7:41 left in the second quarter.

Seeing an increased workload with fellow running backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason on injured reserve, Guerendo scored the first of his two TDs with 1:39 left in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead.

Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams regrouped from an abysmal first half in which he was 6-for-9 for 27 yards. With the three sacks Chicago allowed before intermission, however, Chicago gained just four first-half yards.

The Bears got on the scoreboard on the first possession of the third quarter, with Williams capping a 16-play, 70-yard drive that took 9:04 of clock time with a 4-yard TD pass to Rome Odunze.

Odunze also caught a 14-yard scoring pass from Williams with 11:48 to go.

Guerendo rushed 15 times for 78 yards and scored his second touchdown from 4 yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 31-6. He also had 50 receiving yards before leaving with a foot injury in the fourth quarter.

Patrick Taylor Jr. capped the scoring with a 3-yard run.

Purdy was 20-for-25 through the air. George Kittle had six catches for 151 yards and Jennings had six receptions for 90 yards.

Williams was 17-for-23 for 134 yards and two TDs. DJ Moore had six catches for 49 yards.

–Field Level Media

49ers Christian McCaffrey carries the ball for several yards during first half action of their home game against the San Francisco 49ers in Orchard Park on Dec. 1, 2024.

Injured 49ers star Christian McCaffrey: ‘This wasn’t my year’

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Christian McCaffrey, at the premature end of a season that started late, too, waxed philosophical in a social media post on Wednesday.

The San Francisco 49ers running back, three days after tearing the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the snow at Buffalo, wrote on Instagram, “This wasn’t my year, and sometimes when it rains, it pours.”

The reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year landed on injured reserve on Tuesday, ending his regular season after just four games. He missed the 49ers’ first eight contests due to an Achilles/calf injury.

“Football is the greatest game on the planet to me,” McCaffrey posted on Instagram. “I love that you can find out exactly who you are without ever saying a word. It lifts you up and breaks you down and it can happen fast. It’s humbling in the best ways. You can do everything right and still fail. Thats (sic) life and that’s football. It’s a constant test of wills and those who just keep going tend to reap the benefits of their perseverance.”

He added, “You can feel sorry for yourself and listen to the birds, or you can hold the line. I’m grateful for the support of everyone in my corner and promise I’ll work smarter and harder than ever to come back better from this. I love my teammates, I love the 9ers, and I love football. God doesn’t miss. Onward.”

McCaffrey finishes the season with 50 carries for 202 yards plus 15 receptions for 146 yards. He had no touchdowns.

A year ago, McCaffrey led the NFL with 2,203 yards from scrimmage, 21 touchdowns from scrimmage, and 1,459 rushing yards.

The two-time All-Pro has 6,387 career rushing yards on 1,347 carries (4.7 per attempt) and 52 touchdowns on the ground. He also has 524 catches for 4,466 yards and 29 scores.

The 49ers (5-7) bring a three-game losing streak into their Sunday home game against the Chicago Bears.

–Field Level Media

East Rutherford, NJ -- August 24, 2024 -- Israel Abanikanda of the Jets runs the ball in the first half. The New York Giants and New York Jets meet at MetLife Stadium in the final preseason game of the 2024 season for both teams.

49ers claim RB Israel Abanikanda off waivers from Jets

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The San Francisco 49ers claimed running back Israel Abanikanda off waivers from the New York Jets on Tuesday, one day after placing running backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason on injured reserve.

The Jets released Abanikanda on Monday after adding Kene Nwangwu to the active roster. Nwagwu had been a practice-squad elevation for the Jets last Sunday against Seattle and returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the game.

Abanikanda, 22, was a fifth-round draft pick by the Jets in 2023. After running 22 times for 70 yards and catching seven passes for 43 yards in six appearances as a rookie, Abanikanda did not play a regular-season game for New York in 2024, buried on the depth chart behind Breece Hall and others.

When the Niners placed McCaffrey and Mason on IR, rookie Isaac Guerendo was left as the only healthy running back on their active roster.

In Sunday night’s loss at the Buffalo Bills, McCaffrey left the field in pain in the second quarter and was diagnosed with a posterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee. Mason also suffered a high ankle sprain in the game.

McCaffrey was playing in just his fourth game of the season after missing the first eight because of Achilles tendinitis in both legs. He was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year last season, when he led the league with 2,023 yards from scrimmage: a league-leading 1,459 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns plus 67 catches for 564 yards and seven scores.

Mason is the leading rusher for San Francisco (5-7) this season with 789 yards and three touchdowns on 153 carries. It was his third season in the league.

–Field Level Media