LAS VEGAS — Jauan Jennings had never thrown an NFL pass and Kyle Shanahan, averse to calling trick plays, hadn’t let a non-quarterback throw the ball since 2022.
Yet, with 3:26 left in the first half of Super Bowl LVIII, Shanahan trusted Jennings with the ball. The play call: Snap it to Brock Purdy, sling it backward to the left to Jennings, and let him either take a deep shot downfield or swing it back across the field to Christian McCaffrey.
Jennings, showing the poise of the former quarterback he is, made his reads and connected with McCaffrey for the first touchdown of the game, giving San Francisco a 10-0 lead.
On a field with McCaffrey, Purdy, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Isiah Pacheco and George Kittle, Jennings became the unexpected player to break out. With his touchdown pass to McCaffrey, Jennings became the sixth non-quarterback to throw a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
It didn’t stop there: Jennings came up big in the second half with a go-ahead touchdown grab. The third-year pro finished with 42 yards on four catches, plus the touchdown pass in a Super Bowl MVP-caliber performance. But not enough of Jennings’ teammates stepped up came in a heartbreaking 25-22 defeat in overtime, putting his heroics at risk of being forgotten in history.
“He’s unbelievable, man,” McCaffrey said postgame. “He’s extremely gifted, but he plays with so much heart. You see it in the run game, in the way he finishes plays. I’m just lucky I get to play with him.”
San Francisco 49ers’ Jauan Jennings (15) pushes his way into the end zone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
At the time of Jennings’ touchdown pass, the 49ers had dominated in many aspects of the game, but clung to just a 3-0 lead. Shanahan dialed up the trick play in a moment in which the team needed to break through. Jennings is typically a go-to option on third downs, but Shanahan called his number this time, in a completely new way, on second-and-10.
The most recent non-quarterback to throw a Super Bowl touchdown was Bengals running back Joe Mixon two years ago. Trey Burton of the Eagles tossed the legendary “Philly Special” pass to Nick Foles in Super Bowl LII to stun the Patriots. Antwaan Randle El, Lawrence McCutcheon and Robert Newhouse also tossed unlikely touchdowns.
To give a non-quarterback a chance in such a high-leverage spot, he must have the full trust of his coaching staff to be smart with the ball. Jennings’ history as a passer provided a strong sense of security.
Jennings grew up playing quarterback in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where he became a four-star prospect. Recruiting site 247Sports ranked him the fifth-best quarterback in the 2014 graduating class, ahead of current 49ers backup Sam Darnold and Bengals superstar Joe Burrow.
Upon arriving at the University of Tennessee, Jennings converted to wide receiver, but he didn’t completely ditch his passing skills. In college, Jennings threw five passes, two of which went for touchdowns. One, in 2015 as a true freshman, went to quarterback Joshua Dobbs for 58 yards.
“That feels awesome,” Jennings said postgame. “It felt like I was back at the University of Tennessee throwing to Josh Dobbs. To make that play, I just think about my quarterback coach from high school. I know he’s so proud right now and man, I thought we were gonna win.”
Like against the Chiefs, Jennings first looked downfield on the play before passing it back across to Dobbs. It was an eerily familiar double pass.
That Jauan Jennings touchdown pass might look familiar to Tennessee football fans.
Jennings to QB Josh Dobbs for a 58-yard touchdown in 2015 pic.twitter.com/lQYkvvKfOU
— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) February 12, 2024
To put the 49ers up 10-0, Jennings’ first read was deep to Kittle. When the Chiefs bracketed the tight end with two defensive backs, Jennings noticed and immediately checked out of the first option.
Across the field on Jennings’ right, McCaffrey leaked out behind a caravan of blockers. The play design called for a second layer: the screen. Center Jake Brendel appeared to go too far downfield a split-second too early, but the officials didn’t throw a flag.
The play worked to perfection for the head coach who has waited his entire life for a Super Bowl ring. Just like that: The Shanahan Special.
Jauan Jennings & Christian McCaffrey (21-yd TD)
McCaffrey had a 58.4% chance of scoring when he caught the ball according to the NGS expected YAC model, the 2nd-most probable TD reception caught behind the LOS outside the 25-yard line this season.
Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/Tu2uoZf2mY
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 12, 2024
But San Francisco needed more than just one touchdown. Mahomes and the Chiefs chipped away at their lead with a field goal to end the half to make it 10-3. Later, Kansas City capitalized on a brutal special teams error as a punt errantly hit Darrell Luter Jr.’s foot and gifted the Chiefs possession. A quick touchdown strike put the Chiefs on top, 13-10.
Suddenly trailing in the third quarter, the 49ers’ offense went cold. They didn’t record a single first down for the first 13 minutes. Then, on a key third down, they went back to Jennings for a crucial 16-yard gain on an out route.
As the clock rolled over to the fourth quarter, San Francisco inched into the red zone. Purdy found Kittle on a gutsy fourth-down play, and then Jennings came up big again. To score his second touchdown — this time, doing his day job — Jennings got a step on elite cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to snare a slant, shrugged Sneed off and then overpowered a safety at the goal line. He looked downright Deebo-ish.
The catch-and-run gave the Niners a 16-13 lead and made Jennings the second player to ever throw and catch a touchdown in the same Super Bowl, joining Foles.
“Juaun was incredible,” said fullback Kyle Juszczyk. “He had such a good game. I just love his mentality. He’s always ready to step up and make big plays in big situations. He’s a guy who we can count on.”
San Francisco 49ers’ Jauan Jennings (15) is surrounded by teammates after scoring a touchdown in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
In a 16-16 game with less than six minutes to go, Jennings started off San Francisco’s drive with another fantastic catch for 23 yards. The go-ahead drive Jennings sparked ended with a 53-yard field goal from Jake Moody that had room to spare.
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They gave Mahomes too much time, though — 1:53 to be exact. The transcendent Chiefs quarterback was too smart, too quick, too clinical in a game-tying drive to send the Super Bowl to overtime.
In overtime, arguably the biggest play came from Jennings again, even if it didn’t show up on the stat sheet. San Francisco’s drive was about to end before it even began, but Jennings drew a defensive hold on third and long to extend the drive. Moody put San Francisco up 22-19 with a chip shot.
But again, Mahomes was too inevitable. Two massive scrambles led to the game-winning score — a 3-yard pass to Mecole Hardman.
Mahomes and the Chiefs stole the Super Bowl from the 49ers’ grasp — the same Super Bowl the franchise has waited 29 years and will keep waiting for. And with it, he stole the Super Bowl MVP trophy from Jennings.
