49ers Webzone News and Updates 49ers Webzone is your San Francisco 49ers online resource featuring up to date news, commentary and the largest 49ers fan community on the web. en-us https://www.49erswebzone.com Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:13:00 PDT Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:13:00 PDT 49ers Notebook: Gracen Halton, other rookies shine vs. Titans; Kurtis Rourke impresses; Will another QB be needed? https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202315-notebook-gracen-rookies-impresses-another/ Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:13:00 PDT 2026-08-14T00:19:36-07:00 Kirk Larrabee bd3970e2133b6585820488ae3e396418
The standout of the game for the 49ers was second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling, who caught seven passes for 63 yards in the first half and looked ready to play on Sundays (click here for more on his performance). But Stribling was far from the only one to catch the attention of fans and observers.

In the first 49ers Notebook of the preseason, we have a look at some of the other rookies who shined during the 19-13 loss to the Titans on Thursday, plus some notes on the debut of quarterback Kurtis Rourke and what the 49ers would have done if they would have run out quarterbacks against the Titans following Rourke's rib injury. Let's get it started...

DT Gracen Halton opens some eyes


While it was the Stribling-Rourke show on offense for the 49ers, fourth-round rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton may have made the biggest impression on defense. Halton was slowed by a bone bruise earlier in training camp but has come on since then, and on Thursday he showed he too may be ready for Sundays with the battles he won against the Titans' offensive line, which included the league's highest-paid guard in Peter Skoronski.

"You play how you practice," Halton said Thursday. "I'm not going to say I was perfect; there's a lot of things I need to work on. But I'm just blessed, man. Give thanks to God, to my teammates to make it happen."

Halton's biggest highlight came on a play that didn't count. He beat Skoronski for what would have been a sack, had it not been called back due to a penalty.


"It's all good man, you know?" Halton said with a grin after being asked about missing out on a sack. "I'll be right back."

Halton didn't seem too intimidated by his competition on Thursday ("Football is football. You know how to play, you're going to make plays," he said), and now that he's back on the field, he certainly seems to be a player on the rise.

"It's always tough when these guys miss time, but I think he's been back for at least a week too," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Halton after the game. "And I think he's taking advantage of it. He had a good week and looked like he did some good things out there today, but I'll have to see the film to know for sure."

Ephesians Prysock, Jaden Dugger also make an impression


Fourth-round cornerback Ephesians Prysock and fifth-round linebacker Jaden Dugger may still prove to be developmental players as rookies who don't see too much time on defense this season, but their potential was evident against the Titans on Thursday night.

Both players jump out with their long frames and physical potential. The 6-4, 240-pound Dugger showed his ability to run down quarterbacks with a tackle of Cam Ward early in Thursday's game.


"It was a good feeling," Dugger said about facing the Titans on Thursday. "I've been going against the first O-Line here all camp, so like I was pretty used to it – going against RB Christian McCaffrey CMC and all that, Trent Williams. It was good work to be out there against their vets and stuff."

The 6-3, 196-pound Prysock jumped into action after a hand injury to starter Jack Jones. Among his impressive moments was this broken up pass intended for first-round pick Carnell Tate.


"It was great," said Prysock, who finished with two tackles. "He's a great competitor, great receiver. It was a good matchup."

Unlike some of his fellow rookies, Prysock has been able to stay on the field during training camp, which has helped his cause, according to Shanahan.

"Anytime rookies come in, they've got an uphill battle," Shanahan said. "He's been able to stay healthy and go through these two weeks, which I think has been really good for him. It looked like he did some good things today, but like I said, I'll wait till I see the tape. And hopefully that'll continue next week versus the Chargers."

Kurtis Rourke's successful debut


Before leaving the game in the second quarter due to a rib injury, quarterback Kurtis Rourke showed why he could make his way onto the active roster this season as the team's third quarterback behind Brock Purdy and Mac Jones.

Rouke was playing in his first game since 2024 after sitting out the 2025 season while recovering from a torn ACL. The Indiana University product completed 12-of-14 passes for 101 yards with one touchdown drive. Rourke also ran for 14 yards on three carries, including this nifty escape on a fourth down.


Rourke wasn't available for comment after the game due to him having to go to the hospital to check on his ribs. But Shanahan had some positive thoughts on Rourke's performance, as did Stribling.

"I thought he looked good," Shanahan said. "Got the ball to the right spot, thought he hung in there, played well, did a hell of a job on that drive. Looked good out there, I thought."

Stribling said of Rourke, "He was good. He was comfortable. He was taking charge. He was leading the whole offense."

Rourke was relieved by Adrian Martinez, who was the only other quarterback available on Thursday. Martinez finished the game, but if something had happened to him, the quarterback duties would have gone to tight end Brayden Willis.

"From second quarter on, we were talking about what guys who were in the game who could take a handoff and hand it off, or take a snap and hand it off," Shanahan said. "So, Brayden Willis was going to go in. We were doing handoff drills with him at halftime, so he was ready for it if he had to."

Will the 49ers need to add another quarterback to the roster if Rourke winds up being unavailable? Shanahan was non-committal on that subject, but it sounded like he felt like he might have enough with Martinez, Purdy and Jones.

"Yeah, maybe," Shanahan said. "I mean, we still have three in here, so it's not a necessity. So, with other guys hurt on the roster, it might be hard to carry five. But you don't have to with three."]]> Kyle Terada-Imagn Images WR De'Zhaun Stribling's preseason debut shows 49ers may have themselves a gem https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202313-dezhaun-striblings-preseason-debut-themselves/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 23:16:00 PDT 2026-08-13T23:39:26-07:00 Kirk Larrabee ce7e0e4f533462bc3720ce5d6b5a44d5
The selection of Stribling, who finished his five-year college career with 55 catches for 811 yards and six touchdowns during the 2025 season with Ole Miss after playing two seasons apiece at Washington State and Oklahoma State, drew criticism from fans and analysts who were focused on the fact he was rated lower on online draft boards than the 33rd overall pick.

But the 49ers liked what Stribling brought to the table better than most and made him the sixth overall receiver selected, behind Carnell Tate of the Tennessee Titans (pick 4), Jordyn Tyson of the New Orleans Saints (pick 8), Makai Lemon of the Philadelphia Eagles (pick 20), KC Concepcion of the Cleveland Browns (pick 24), and Omar Cooper Jr. of the New York Jets (pick 30).

It remains to be seen exactly how Stribling performs compared to those other players, but based on how he's started his NFL career, he could have as big of an impact as any of them as a rookie.

After an impressive early training camp that earned him his share of praise, Stribling looked ready to be a significant contributor on Sundays during his preseason debut against the Titans on Thursday night. In less than one half of play, Stribling caught seven passes for 63 yards, proving that he'll be a factor right away once the season begins.


"I felt great out there," Stribling told reporters after the game. "It felt like I was really clicking with the offense, hearing in the huddle, lining up on the field. So I'm very grateful I had the opportunities and the passes that I did."

Stribling outproduced every receiver in the 19-13 loss to the Titans, including Tate, who had zero catches on three targets. He also did it against the Titans' first-team defense, which was on the field for multiple series in the first half.

"The physicality and the speed, the whole tempo of everything, getting out there for the first time and getting used to it, it was real fun," Stribling said.

Stribling's highlights included a 32-yard sideline catch on third down along with two other third down conversions. Stribling's production on third down was reminiscent of the last 49ers player to wear his jersey number (15), Jauan Jennings.

"It seemed good," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Stribling's performance. "I mean, we'll see when we watch the film. I thought he struggled a little bit on that first drive, but I think he got three drives after that, and seemed like he executed all the stuff that went to him. And I liked how his hands looked out there and he played physical."

Exactly what role Stribling plays during the regular season and whether it mirrors that of Jennings remains to be seen, as the 49ers have been giving him looks at different spots ("We're switching him up throughout the week, and he did a number of different things today, too," Shanahan said). But after dealing with a hamstring issue early in camp, Stribling has handled whatever has come his way and showed Thursday night he's in a good spot.

"He's handling it well," Shanahan said. "It was tough when he got hurt. He missed that week. And now he's been back for I believe a week, and hopefully he can string together two more of these weeks, because he's going about it the right way. And as long as he gets those reps and continues to do what he's been doing, he'll be ready for the season."

Stribling told reporters he was "focused" and "locked in" before Thursday's game ("Maybe a little too focused on everything, but it wore away after," he said) and that he also got some pregame encouragement from veteran wide receiver Mike Evans.

"I talked to Mike earlier for some advice and he just said 'Be you,'" Stribling said. "That's all I needed to hear."

With the 49ers already battling multiple injuries at the wide receiver position, among them a season-ending knee issue for Ricky Pearsall, Stribling will be a player of high importance this season. His showing on Thursday was enough to earn some pats on the back from his teammates, and to send fans home with optimism despite the 49ers opening the preseason with a loss.

"Everyone was showing love and telling me 'Good job' and stuff," Stribling said Thursday. "Now I've just got to take on the coaching points and be better next week."]]> Kyle Terada-Imagn Images 49ers preseason takeaways: rookies shine as depth gets tested vs. Titans https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202312-preseason-takeaways-rookies-tested-titans/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 23:10:00 PDT 2026-08-13T23:11:13-07:00 Jack Stewart b55b4327789d6c0c54bed25d37fb153f
We knew most of the starters would not play. However, what was very useful was that the Tennessee Titans did play theirs. Most of San Francisco's rookies played, and some other players who should be in the mix for at least significant rotational snaps did, too.

Quarterback


The only competition at this position is for the No. 3 spot behind Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, but that is not an insignificant battle.

Kurtis Rourke started the game, and it was good to see him get in a game since he red-shirted last year while recovering from a knee injury he suffered midway through his senior year at Indiana. What was even better was that he looked sharp, going 10 for 12 for 101 yards. He was poised in the pocket, showed escapability to rush for a first down, and toughness when he got hit trying to score. The one negative is he apparently hurt his rib when trying to score. Hopefully, it will not be serious.

It is far too early to make a pronouncement, but he showed promise, the kind that can be developed. Mac Jones has only this year left on his contract.

Adrian Martinez has some zip on his ball, but he was not accurate, and he did not always show good judgment. At the end of the first half, when the 49ers were in field goal range, he escaped the pocket, but rather than throw the ball away, he stepped out of bounds. That was fortunate because he slung the ball underhand, and it was intercepted. But he stepped out of bounds. It was a fourteen-yard loss, and kicker Eddy PiΓ±eiro's attempt from 61 yards out was short. It would have been an easy three points if not for the foolish play.

Wide receiver


Rookie De'Zhaun Stribling played, and that was not a foregone conclusion considering the recent tightness in his calf that kept him out of practice for a few days.

The first word that came to mind was "beast." In less than a half, Stribling had seven catches for 63 yards. He made plays at all levels, and announcer Tim Ryan compared him to former 49er wide receiver Jauan Jennings. Stribling and Jennings have the same number and strong hands, but the former is far more explosive. He certainly looked like he could have easily gone in the first round.

Especially considering all of the praise for his play in training camp, I don't see how he is less than the No. 3 receiver.

Jordan Watkins, drafted in 2025, showed some skill, too. He finished with six catches for 59 yards. He had quickness but was not explosive. It was only the first preseason game, but he will be in the mix to make the roster.

The only other noteworthy receiver was Malik Turner. A fifth-year veteran out of Illinois, he ran solid routes and was targeted six times but had only two receptions. A number of those incompletions were due to inaccuracy by the quarterback, though.

Defensive line


Rookie edge rusher Romello Height should compete for a starting spot opposite defensive end Nick Bosa until defensive end Mykel Williams returns, and he showed the ability to generate pressure. He did not record a sack, but in his first true NFL action, he displayed the bend and quickness that led general manager John Lynch to select him in the 3rd round.

Rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton did not start the game, but when he entered the contest, he made his presence felt. He finished with four tackles, one for a loss, and he put pressure on Titans quarterback Cam Ward and caused an intentional grounding penalty. On one running play, he blew up Tennessee's left guard, Peter Skoronski, who is one of the best guards in the league. Halton has the attacking style and quickness that will earn him, if not a starting role, at the very least a large number of snaps in the rotation.

Defensive tackle Alfred Collins, who is currently one of the starting tackles on the depth chart, had some struggles early, but he settled down and showed why he is currently in that position. He was drafted as a run stuffer but got pressure on the Titans quarterback a few times.

Defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez was stout in the middle and finished with four tackles, one for a loss. He will challenge to earn a place in the rotation.

Linebacker


The two linebackers who stood out were rookie Jalen Dugger and second-year man Nick Martin.

Martin led the team with eight tackles and showed the speed the Niner brass found appealing when he came out of college.

Dugger, who is playing in various positions, finished with only two tackles, but it seemed like a lot more. He was always around the ball.

There is a competition for the third linebacker on base downs, and both have shown they deserve a place in the discussion. What is particularly encouraging is that even if neither gets the nod, they both show the talent that suggests they could develop into really good players in the future.

Defensive back


The one defensive back who stood out was Jakob Robinson, and not in a good way. The Titans quarterbacks targeted him early and found he was often late in coverage. The other cornerbacks (and safeties) were unremarkable.

I do want to mention rookie corner Ephesians Prysock, though. He finished with only one tackle, but he had a beautiful pass defensed, knocking the ball away from the receiver near the goal line with perfect timing and technique. If he can repeat that, he will be a young player with a bright future. It often takes corners a few seasons to develop, and he looked like he might have the skills to be a good one.

Running backs and offensive linemen


I put them together because without the latter, the former can't do much.

That was the case in this game. The final numbers were as ugly as ugly can be, with the running backs collectively rushing 52 yards on 23 carries. Patrick Taylor finished with minus five yards on five carries, with a long of one yard (which went for a touchdown). I can't say for sure he was terrible, though, because he got hit in the backfield so many times.

Sincere McCormick showed a little burst, rushing 38 yards on 10 carries. But that is only 3.8 yards per carry, which will not cut it.

Fortunately, these are only San Francisco's fourth and fifth backs on the depth chart, and it is possible that new acquisition Khalil Herbert, who had success in Chicago a few years ago, will return to that form as he learns the offense.

The OL was awful, to say the least, in the run game. The numbers above prove that. But they were uneven in pass protection as well. They only gave up two sacks, but that was only because Rourke and Martinez were elusive enough to avoid a few others.

Punter


We have a new leg this year, and Corliss Waitman showed incredible hang time, sending three of his four punts inside the 20. He looks like he might even be a weapon.

Yes, it is only the first preseason game of the season. We have two more before the final cutdowns. Still, considering Tennessee played their starters for most of the first half, the 49ers had a solid sampling of what their backups will provide, and on defense, especially at the first two levels, they showed a lot of potential. At worst, it was clear that several young players will really improve the depth the 49ers lacked last year, and they should help increase the pressure that produced only 20 sacks in 2025.

I am really looking forward to seeing the next game.]]> Kyle Terada-Imagn Images 49ers' Kyle Shanahan opens up about returning to sidelines after car accident https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202309-49ers-shanahan-returning-sidelines-accident/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 22:12:41 PDT 2026-08-13T22:12:41-07:00 David Bonilla 11bef52e7eea86262b6214a1d965b027
Shanahan took on his typical preseason head-coaching role, which does not include play-calling. As was the case last year, that responsibility went to offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak, who will call the plays throughout the preseason. Shanahan will resume those duties in the regular season.

So, for the head coach, Thursday night's game was not much different from last year's preseason opener.

"I didn't call a play last year in preseason, so it really felt the same as last year," Shanahan said. "I have a lot of confidence in Klay. He does as good of a job as anyone I've been around at it. So, nothing new today."

The July 14 car accident left Shanahan with a broken nose, three broken ribs, and a broken left hand. The coach was still wearing a protective brace over his injured hand on Thursday night.

Shanahan also suffered a severe concussion in the accident, which limited his role at the start of 49ers training camp. He has gradually ramped up his workload and felt well enough to coach from the sidelines against the Titans.

As for returning to the sidelines after going through such an ordeal, Shanahan said the experience felt much like being back at practice.

"I know everyone knows I missed some things, and haven't been calling plays as much, but I don't really do that in the preseason anyways," Shanahan said. "So, it's felt pretty normal, on a pretty normal schedule. Missed some of the media stuff, missed some of the hours. It's not exactly consistent, but football's been pretty normal for me."

With Shanahan back on the sideline Thursday night and taking questions from reporters after the game, everything appears to be pointing toward the 49ers head coach being ready for the start of the regular season.

The 49ers will open the regular season against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, in Week 1, giving Shanahan several more weeks to continue his recovery before the games begin to count.]]> David Gonzales-Imagn Images 49ers injury updates: Kurtis Rourke taken to the hospital, other news after Titans game https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202308-injury-updates-kurtis-rourke-hospital/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 21:47:00 PDT 2026-08-13T21:47:00-07:00 David Bonilla 51400b43340c7d93c22b372a4427002b Kurtis Rourke was playing well in Thursday night's preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans. However, he was forced to leave the game in the second quarter with a rib injury and was replaced by Adrian Martinez.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan provided several injury updates after the game, including more information on the 49ers' backup quarterback. He was asked if Rourke could miss time.

"I'm not sure," Shanahan said. "They said ribs. He was struggling to breathe, so they took him to the hospital just to check on everything, make sure it's all right. X-rays in here didn't show it was broken or anything, but we'll see what we find out tomorrow."

Shanahan did not rule out the possibility that the 49ers could sign another quarterback. However, the team will wait to learn more about Rourke's status before making a final decision.

Rourke was examined in the blue medical tent before leaving the field and heading to the locker room for further evaluation.

"We were worried he was banged up on that draw," Shanahan said. "We were trying to look at him. We were yelling to him. He was saying he was fine. Then when he got to the sidelines after we scored, then they said they needed to take him in to look at a rib. They said that it didn't seem broken on the first X-ray, but they kept him in there.

"And then at halftime, they said they wanted to take him to the hospital just because he was struggling with some breath stuff, so you've got to look into that . When you don't see something on an X-ray, and someone's struggling with something, then you just got to go cover your bases and look for more."

Other 49ers injury updates


Shanahan also provided updates on several other 49ers players following Thursday night's preseason opener.

Cornerback Jack Jones, who has been one of the standout players during 49ers training camp, suffered a hand injury during the Titans' first offensive drive. He did not return to the game.

Linebacker Nick Martin suffered a stinger but returned to action.

Wide receiver Jacob Cowing suffered an oblique injury and did not return.

Shanahan also revealed that cornerback Nate Hobbs did not suit up for Thursday night's game after suffering a groin injury during Tuesday's joint practice with the Titans. Hobbs is expected to miss a few weeks.]]> David Gonzales-Imagn Images Recap: 49ers fall 19-13 in preseason opener to Titans https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202302-recap-49ers-preseason-opener-titans/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 21:12:00 PDT 2026-08-13T22:37:41-07:00 Kirk Larrabee 78e3a5e77fa6e24e264d79d803405d17 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Tot TEN 7 6 3 3 19 SF 0 7 3 3 13
The San Francisco 49ers came out of their preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans at Levi's Stadium without a win, but they at least saw a few standout performances to hang their hats on.

The Titans, who played their starters early on against a 49ers lineup comprised mainly of backups, put together a 13-7 lead at halftime before holding on during a largely uneventful second half for a 19-13 win. Among the top performers for the 49ers was starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who saw his first game action since his college days at Indiana University after missing the 2025 season while recovering from a torn ACL, and rookie wide receiver and second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling.

Rourke, who was a seventh-round pick of the 49ers in 2025, connected on 12-of-14 passes for 101 yards in the first half before leaving the game with a rib injury. Stribling finished with seven catches for 63 yards before departing the game in the first half and looked very much like a player who will be able to fill a similar role to former 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings, who departed the team in free agency.

Other young players who stood out for the 49ers were rookie defensive tackle and fourth-round pick Gracen Halton, who notched a tackle for loss while bringing pressure against Titans first-teamers early in the game, and second-year wide receiver Jordan Watkins, who caught six passes for 59 yards.

Cam Ward started the game at quarterback for the Titans and finished with 57 yards on 5-of-12 passing before leaving the game in the second quarter.

Rourke, 49ers hang tough against Titans starters in first half

Rourke and the 49ers began the game with possession at their own 34-yard line and moved across midfield before their opening drive ended with a punt. The highlight of the drive came on a fourth-down scramble for Rourke where he ducked out of the way of the Titans' pass rush before picking up a first down, but a holding penalty on offensive lineman Robert Jones three plays later negated a 21-yard completion to Watkins and pushed the 49ers into a hole they couldn't dig out of.


The Titans took over at their own 5-yard line, then their first-team offense marched downfield on an 11-play, 95-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead on a touchdown run by running back Tony Pollard. Key plays on the drive included a 12-yard run by Pollard on the first play; an 18-yard completion to wide receiver Calvin Ridley on a third down play; and a 16-yard completion to tight end Gunnar Helm followed by a 25-yard run by running back Tyjae Spears. Pollard ran in from four yards out to cap the drive.


The 49ers punted back to the Titans after four plays on the next possession then got the ball back after forcing a Titans punt in five plays. Rourke and the 49ers took over at their own 32-yard line as the second quarter got underway, then flipped the field on a 32-yard completion on 3rd-and-5 to Stribling.

https://twitter.com/49ers/status/2088079852482200020

Rourke followed that up with another third-down conversion on a 13-yard completion to wide receiver Malik Turner on a 3rd-and-11, then he connected with Stribling again on a 3rd-and-6 for an 11-yard completion to the Titans' 4-yard line. A three-yard run by Rourke moved the ball to the 1-yard line before the 49ers moved backwards on a delay of game penalty, then a pass interference call in the end zone on the Titans put the ball back at the 1. Running back Patrick Taylor finished the drive on the next play with a touchdown run to tie the game at 7.


The Titans gave their starters a third series on offense, but the 49ers held firm on defense to force a punt after four plays. Adrian Martinez took over at quarterback for the 49ers after the punt and led the 49ers to two first downs before turning the ball over on downs at the Tennessee 44-yard line, then Mitchell Trubisky took over at quarterback for the Titans with just under four minutes left in the half. The Titans moved 35 yards in seven plays before tacking on a 39-yard Joey Slye field goal to take a 10-7 lead, then the 49ers took over at their own 30-yard line with 1:15 remaining.

A third down completion to wide receiver Trenton Irwin for 18 yards followed by a 10-yard run by Martinez put the ball at the Titans' 42-yard line, then a nine-yard completion to Watkins moved the 49ers to the 33. A four-yard run by running back Sincere McCormick gave the 49ers a first down at the 29-yard line, but two incompletions followed by Martinez stepping out of bounds on third down for a 14-yard loss stuck the 49ers with a 61-yard field goal attempt by Edy Pineiro. The kick fell short, giving the Titans possession at the 49ers' 49-yard line with 13 seconds remaining in the half. The Titans then moved to the 37-yard line to give Slye a 55-yard field goal attempt with two seconds remaining. Slye hit the kick with room to spare, giving the Titans a 13-7 lead as the game moved to halftime.

49ers can't close the gap during sleepy second half

As is often the case in NFL preseason openers, the second half took a lackluster turn as the teams brought their deepest reserve players onto the field. Will Levis took over at quarterback at the start of the third quarter for the Titans, who opened the half with a five-play, 19-yard possession before punting the ball to the 49ers. A three-and-out sent the ball back to the Titans, who turned in a three-and-out of their own with the help of a third-down sack from 49ers defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo.


The 49ers took over at their own 45-yard line after the punt and put together a seven-play, 21-yard drive that ended in a field goal from Pineiro. A 15-yard completion to wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge on a 3rd-and-8 moved the ball into Titans Territory, then short gains from McCormick and running back Khalil Herbert set Pineiro up from 52 yards to cut the lead to 13-10 with 6:18 remaining in the third quarter.

The Titans responded with an 8-play, 35-yard drive that ended with a 53-yard field goal from Slye to give them a 16-10 lead. The 49ers answered with a 10-play, 61-yard drive that moved the ball to the 12-yard line before a turnover on downs, then got the ball back at their own 17-yard line with 8:45 remaining in the game after a Titans punt.

Another punt followed for the 49ers, then with Hendon Hooker in the game at quarterback, the Titans put together a nine-play, 52-yard drive that ended in another long field goal from Slye, this one from 58 yards to open up 19-10 lead. The 49ers took over at their own 28 with 2:23 remaining and put together one last scoring drive -- a ten-play, 49-yard drive that culminated in a 41-yard field goal from Pineiro with 48 seconds remaining -- then the Titans ran out the clock after a failed onsides kick attempt to seal the game.

Game Notes

Aside from Rourke, the most notable injury in the game for the 49ers was to cornerback Jack Jones, who left the game in the first quarter with a hand injury. Jones had been making waves with a solid training camp... In addition to Rourke, Taylor, Stribling, Turner, and Watkins, starters for the 49ers on offense included LT Austin Pleasants, LG Robert Jones, C Drake Nugent, RG Connor Colby, RT Brandon Parker, and TE Brayden Willis. Starters on defense included Jones, Okoronkwo, DE Romello Height, DT Sebastian Valdez, DT Alfred Collins, LB Jaden Dugger, CB Darrell Luter, NB Jakob Robinson, S Marques Sigle, and S Ashtyn Davis... Next up for the 49ers will be a road preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The game will kickoff at 10 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. PDT on Thursday, October 20.

Scoring Summary


  • Q1 04:46 β€” TEN 7, SF 0
    T. Pollard 5 yd. run (J. Slye kick) (11 plays, 95 yds, 5:10)
  • Q2 08:44 β€” TEN 7, SF 7
    P. Taylor 1 yd. run (E. Pineiro kick) (11 plays, 68 yds, 6:16)
  • Q2 01:25 β€” TEN 10, SF 7
    J. Slye 39 yd. Field Goal (7 plays, 35 yds, 2:34)
  • Q2 00:02 β€” TEN 13, SF 7
    J. Slye 55 yd. Field Goal (3 plays, 12 yds, 0:13)
  • Q3 06:22 β€” TEN 13, SF 10
    E. Pineiro 52 yd. Field Goal (7 plays, 21 yds, 3:20)
  • Q3 02:52 β€” TEN 16, SF 10
    J. Slye 53 yd. Field Goal (8 plays, 35 yds, 3:31)
  • Q4 02:28 β€” TEN 19, SF 10
    J. Slye 58 yd. Field Goal (9 plays, 52 yds, 3:51)
  • Q4 00:51 β€” TEN 19, SF 13
    E. Pineiro 41 yd. Field Goal (10 plays, 49 yds, 1:35)

Game and Player Stats


TEN Team Stats SF
112 Passing Yards 238
167 Rushing Yards 84
279 Total Yards 322
5.35 Avg Yards per Pass 5.91
5.39 Avg Yards per Run 3
0 Fumbles Lost 0
0 Int Thrown 0
3 Sacks Allowed 2
00:27:12 Time of Pos 00:32:48
9 Penalties 7

Titans Player Stats
Passing Cmp/Att Yds TDs INTs
Cam Ward 5/12 57 0 0
Will Levis 3/8 42 0 0
Mitchell Trubisky 2/3 23 0 0
Hendon Hooker 2/3 17 0 0
Rushing Att Yds Avg TDs
Julius Chestnut 5 47 9.4 0
Tyjae Spears 4 35 8.8 0
Nicholas Singleton 8 31 3.9 0
Will Levis 4 22 5.5 0
Tony Pollard 4 22 5.5 1
Michael Carter 2 10 5 0
Cam Ward 1 2 2 0
Hendon Hooker 3 -2 -0.7 0
Receiving Rec Tgt Yds TDs
Wan'Dale Robinson 2 4 19 0
Calvin Ridley 1 1 18 0
David Martin-Robinson 1 1 17 0
Chimere Dike 1 1 17 0
Gunnar Helm 1 1 16 0
Xavier Restrepo 2 4 16 0
Michael Carter 1 1 13 0
Bryce Oliver 1 2 12 0
Courtney Jackson 1 1 7 0
Tyjae Spears 1 1 4 0
Hank Beatty 0 1 0 0
Elic Ayomanor 0 3 0 0
Carnell Tate 0 3 0 0
Fumbles Fum Lost
Hendon Hooker 2 0 0 0
Courtney Jackson 1 0 0 0
Kicking FG Att Lg XP
Joey Slye 4 4 58 1
Punting No Avg I20 Lg
Tommy Townsend 5 45.2 2 58
Defense T-A Sck INTs FF
Nazeeh Johnson 5-3 0 0 0
Jerrick Reed 5-3 0 0 0
Oluwafemi Oladejo 5-3 0 0 0
Derrick Canteen 5-2 0 0 0
Cordale Flott 5-1 0 0 0
Mani Powell 4-3 0.5 0 0
James Williams 4-2 0 0 0
Amani Hooker 3-2 0 0 0
Khalen Saunders 3-2 0 0 0
Jalyn Holmes 3-2 1 0 0
Cody Barton 3-1 0 0 0
Cedric Gray 3-1 0 0 0
Keldric Faulk 3-1 0 0 0
Bishop Fitzgerald 2-2 0 0 0
Anthony Hill 2-2 0 0 0
Timmy Horne 2-2 0.5 0 0
Malik Herring 2-1 0 0 0
Kendell Brooks 2-1 0 0 0
Marcus Harris 2-1 0 0 0
Jalen McMurray 2-1 0 0 0
Jaylen Harrell 2-0 0 0 0
Micah Robinson 2-0 0 0 0
Earnest Brown 1-1 0 0 0
Mario Goodrich 1-1 0 0 0
Dorian Mausi 1-1 0 0 0
Alontae Taylor 1-0 0 0 0
Truman Jones 1-0 0 0 0
Dominique Hampton 1-0 0 0 0
Kevin Winston 1-0 0 0 0
Sean Brown 1-0 0 0 0

49ers Player Stats
Passing Cmp/Att Yds TDs INTs
Adrian Martinez 16/30 159 0 0
Kurtis Rourke 12/14 101 0 0
Rushing Att Yds Avg TDs
Sincere McCormick 10 38 3.8 0
Adrian Martinez 2 18 9 0
Khalil Herbert 6 18 3 0
Kurtis Rourke 3 14 4.7 0
Zamir White 2 1 0.5 0
Patrick Taylor 5 -5 -1 1
Receiving Rec Tgt Yds TDs
De'Zhaun Stribling 7 8 63 0
Jordan Watkins 6 10 59 0
Khalil Herbert 2 2 35 0
Trenton Irwin 2 2 25 0
Malik Turner 2 6 23 0
KhaDarel Hodge 1 2 15 0
Patrick Taylor 2 2 13 0
Josiah Deguara 2 4 12 0
Will Pauling 3 3 8 0
Wesley Grimes 1 1 7 0
Sincere McCormick 0 1 0 0
Brayden Willis 0 2 0 0
Fumbles Fum Lost
Drake Nugent 1 0 0 0
Kicking FG Att Lg XP
Eddy Pineiro 2 3 52 1
Punting No Avg I20 Lg
Corliss Waitman 4 43.8 3 58
Punt Returns Att Avg TDs Lg
Will Pauling 3 4.7 0 6
Jordan Watkins 1 4 0 4
Defense T-A Sck INTs FF
Nick Martin 8-5 0 0 0
Tatum Bethune 6-4 1 0 0
Gracen Halton 4-2 0 0 0
Sebastian Valdez 4-0 0 0 0
James Thompson 3-3 0.5 0 0
Larry Worth 3-1 0.5 0 0
Quinton Bell 2-2 0 0 0
Ashtyn Davis 2-1 0 0 0
Marques Sigle 2-1 0 0 0
Ogbo Okoronkwo 2-1 1 0 0
Garret Wallow 2-0 0 0 0
Jakob Robinson 2-0 0 0 0
Ephesians Prysock 2-0 0 0 0
Jaden Dugger 2-0 0 0 0
Jalen Stroman 2-0 0 0 0
Darrell Luter 1-1 0 0 0
Xavier Thomas 1-1 0 0 0
Bryson Eason 1-1 0 0 0
Romello Height 1-1 0 0 0
Eli Apple 1-0 0 0 0
Titus Leo 1-0 0 0 0
Jalen Graham 1-0 0 0 0
]]> Kyle Terada-Imagn Images 49ers vs. Titans injury updates: Latest news from preseason opener https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202294-titans-injury-updates-latest-preseason/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 18:40:00 PDT 2026-08-13T19:53:47-07:00 David Bonilla a6c0c62e3ca2111095e673694cc92b52
Players are listed in order of most recent report.

QB Kurtis Rourke (out, rib)


Kurtis Rourke was examined in the blue medical tent during the second quarter. He eventually exited the tent and headed to the locker room, with Adrian Martinez replacing him at quarterback.

The 49ers announced that Rourke is questionable to return due to a rib injury.

Update: Rourke was eventually ruled out.

CB Jack Jones (hand, questionable)


Jack Jones, one of the biggest surprises of training camp, is questionable to return due to a hand injury. Jones left the field during the Titans' first offensive drive, and the training staff was seen examining his hand on the sideline.

Update: Jones was eventually ruled out.]]> Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Dan Orlovsky ranks 49ers' Brock Purdy among top QBs in 3 categories https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202291-orlovsky-ranks-49ers-brock-traits/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 16:24:00 PDT 2026-08-13T16:25:37-07:00 David Bonilla 7c1bf6299b71e2d54f8e19cfa13bb06d rankings of NFL quarterbacks by trait, and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy ranked among the league's best in three of the seven categories.

Unsurprisingly, Purdy didn't crack the top 10 in traits such as arm strength, but he ranked No. 9 in ball placement, No. 8 in pocket presence, and No. 7 in second-reaction ability.

"Purdy displays incredible touch, layering the ball in," Orlovsky wrote while discussing Purdy's ball placement. "His 10.7% off-target rate was fourth-best in the NFL last season."

When evaluating pocket presence, Orlovsky highlighted Purdy's ability to operate from "muddy pockets," a skill that allows quarterbacks to remain effective when pressure begins to collapse the pocket.

Purdy isn't typically viewed as a highly mobile quarterback, but anyone who has watched the 49ers quarterback closely knows he is athletic enough to make plays when things break down around him. Orlovsky noted that Purdy ranks among the NFL's best in QBR (79.1) on throws made from outside the pocket, highlighting his effectiveness when forced to improvise.

Purdy is entering his fifth NFL season with a career passer rating of 104.0. If he maintains that level of efficiency, he is just 147 pass attempts away from becoming officially eligible to rank first all time in career passer rating, which would put him ahead of Aaron Rodgers (102.2) and Lamar Jackson (102.2).

The 49ers selected Purdy with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Over his first four NFL seasons, he has passed for 11,685 yards with 84 touchdowns and 37 interceptions.]]> Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images 49ers Rank No. 16 in NFL.com Preseason Power Rankings as Injuries Test Depth https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202289-49ers-nflcom-preseason-rankings-injuries/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:45:00 PDT 2026-08-13T09:46:03-07:00 Casey Lima 467ead9780905ad52b90bc8150a3f4f4 San Francisco 49ers come in at 16 on NFL.com preseason power rankings. Aside from the practice fights, whether it's internal or against the Tennessee Titans, nagging injuries continue to be the story at camp. While long-term playing prospects do not appear to be in jeopardy, there is enough concern that signings are being made just to maximize depth and playing opportunities this week.

The running back room is banged up, so Zamir White and Khalil Herbert were signed and likely get carries. Nick Bosa's status is now week-to-week with his knee tendinitis, so recently signed Xavier Thomas and Ogbo Okoronkwo will likely be in the rotation.

The 49ers have consistently dealt with these injuries the last few years. The PCL injury to Ricky Pearsall is a gut punch, as he will miss the season. KhaDarel Hodge was signed, and the reunion is complete with Deebo Samuel back in the fold.

The goofy conspiracy theories regarding the electrical substation and the role its proximity plays in these injuries aside, overcoming this adversity during camp is nothing new, as NFL Writer Nick Shook suggests.

"I'm likely underrating San Francisco at this stage, but that's why the Power Rankings are performed frequently - - almost as frequently as the visits the 49ers receive from the injury bug," Shook wrote. "Yes, for yet another year, the Niners are already adjusting to losses. Ricky Pearsall is done for the season, George Kittle is still working back from the Achilles injury he suffered in January, and three other receivers (Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, De'Zhaun Stribling) are battling ailments. The good news: The 49ers still reached the Divisional Round last season despite dealing with a ton of injuries. They're nothing if not experienced on how to endure such challenges. "

We're less than a month away from the season opener down under. This team needs to hit an opponent where they can be assessed under normal circumstances. Many starters will sit this week, so there will be plenty of repetition for most rookies and veterans.

Left guard and back end depth at wide receiver, running back, and secondary are all notable to watch for this week. The results don't matter at all, but presuming many players impress this week, that's a positive sign for future camp practices and the rest of August, as the preseason gets underway.]]> Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall undergoes surgery, reveals recovery timeline https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202287-pearsall-undergoes-surgery-recovery-timeline/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:03:56 PDT 2026-08-13T09:03:56-07:00 David Bonilla 0952119ae3181c25b210e907f770900c
The setback will sideline Pearsall for the entire 2026 season. He has already missed 14 games over his first two NFL seasons.

"Nothing to be disappointed about," Pearsall wrote. "No regrets. No what-ifs. Just peace in the midst of yet another trial, knowing I did everything I could.

"I gave myself time to disconnect from the world, process everything, and shift my focus toward what's ahead over these next 9 months."


Pearsall also opened up about the difficulty of his latest setback.

"All I've ever known is football," he wrote. "I've never missed a game because of a football injury in my entire career. So when I got the news, it was hard to wrap my mind around the fact that the same injury I had been fighting through, the one that was supposed to be alright, was ultimately going to require surgery and end my 2026 season.

"Just like that, face to face with another challenge."

Pearsall is now preparing to shift his focus toward that challenge, working through his recovery with the goal of returning to the football field.

"The road back starts now," Pearsall continued. "I'm ready for every part of it. Every early morning. Every setback. Every small win nobody sees. Every step that gets me closer to stepping back on that field."

He added, "9 months. Mindset."

The 49ers' receiving corps underwent significant changes this offseason with the additions of veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk. San Francisco also used its top draft pick on wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling and reunited with veteran Deebo Samuel.

Pearsall was projected to start opposite Evans and play a significant role in the 49ers' offense. Now, he will have to wait until the 2027 season to return to the field.]]> Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Pablo Torre Investigates the 49ers Substation-Injury Theory https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202285-pablo-torre-investigates-substation-injury-theory/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 07:59:00 PDT 2026-08-13T08:41:42-07:00 Jesse Dumas 1363cc47d0a0e09d308c350e6e2288be Around the Horn and Highly Questionable. More recently, however, Torre has carved out a very different, and increasingly influential, place in sports media.

His podcast, Pablo Torre Finds Out, has become one of the industry's most prominent homes for investigative sports journalism, digging into stories that frequently go well beyond what happens on the field. The show has investigated everything from turmoil inside the NFL Players Association to the Los Angeles Clippers' alleged circumvention of the NBA salary cap in their dealings with Kawhi Leonard.

That latter investigation did considerably more than generate podcast downloads and grow the journalist's notoriety. Torre and the staff of Pablo Torre Finds Out won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting for their work uncovering the Clippers story. So when Torre decides there's something worth investigating, it's probably worth paying attention.

Which brings us, naturally, to the electrical substation sitting next to the San Francisco 49ers' practice facility in Santa Clara. Yes, that substation.

On Thursday, Torre released an episode titled We Tested the 49ers Substation Theory β€” with Science, taking perhaps the strangest explanation yet for the franchise's seemingly endless injury problems and subjecting it to an actual scientific investigation.

No legitimate 49er fan has been able to ignore this story over the past couple of seasons while watching seemingly half the 49ers' roster make its annual pilgrimage to the injury report. The theory goes something like this: electromagnetic fields generated by Silicon Valley Power's Mission Substation, which sits adjacent to the team's practice facility, are somehow contributing to the remarkable number of injuries suffered by 49ers players. Whatever electro-waves that come off of that thing are bombarding the players' soft-tissues with something that's making them weaker and causing all the tears, strains, and tweaks that team seems to have EVERY. SINGLE. SEASON.

The 49ers have spent much of the Kyle Shanahan era among the NFL's most injury-plagued teams (at least, by some measures and certainly by the eye test). The list of stars who have suffered major injuries over the years is long enough that "bad luck" stopped feeling like a particularly satisfying explanation a long time ago.

The theory gained enough traction last season that players, agents, the NFLPA and eventually the 49ers themselves were forced to address it. General manager John Lynch said earlier this year that the organization hired an independent scientist with decades of experience studying electromagnetic fields to test the facility. Lynch subsequently declared the whole thing a "big nothingburger," saying the readings showed the facility was safe. However, Torre points out that neither Lynch nor owner Jed York has ever produced any of the evidence they claim to have that shows the substation isn't contributing to their injury woes.

Now, before I get accused of wearing a tinfoil hat (which sounds like it would be particularly effective at blocking substation waves), I fully admit York nor any of his employees have any reason, including money (the 49ers make heaps of it compared to much of the league), to sweep this under the rug when they know there's something "there" there.

I do believe that if they knew there was a problem, they'd do something about it. For those that enjoy hearing the scientific method applied to things they actually care about, the episode is worth a listen or watch, and I won't fully spoil the outcome of their investigation. I don't think this episode will leave any 49er fan fully satisfied in explaining why this seems to be an issue every year. Results, to put it bluntly, are inconclusive but do seem to support the 49ers' claims that the substation isn't the root of the issue.

That said, the team is looking to move their practice facility to a location with more space. At the very least, if and when that happens, it will put this speculation to rest.]]> Photo courtesy of the San Francisco 49ers 49ers roster moves: RB Zamir White among 3 signed; 3 players waived https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202273-49ers-signing-former-raiders-zamir/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:22:00 PDT 2026-08-12T16:06:07-07:00 David Bonilla a7c17eb2d69bd9f5a8304571ab1d43c1 Zamir White to a one-year deal, which the team quickly confirmed. He worked out for the 49ers this week.


The team also announced the signings of cornerback Eli Apple and defensive lineman Xavier Thomas.

To make room on the roster, the 49ers waived wide receiver Junior Bergen and punter Jack Bouwmeester, and waived/injured defensive lineman K.J. Henry.

The 49ers have several running backs sidelined during training camp. Starter Christian McCaffrey is dealing with "tightness," while rookie Kaelon Black is working through an adductor injury and Jordan James is recovering from a rib fracture.

The 49ers Communications staff provided the following rundown.


Apple (6-1, 203) was originally drafted by the New York Giants as the 10th overall selection of the 2016 NFL Draft. Throughout his 10-year NFL career with the Giants (2016-18), New Orleans Saints (2018-19), Carolina Panthers (2020), Cincinnati Bengals (2021-22), Miami Dolphins (2023), Los Angeles Chargers (2024) and the 49ers (2025), he has appeared in 104 games (82 starts) and registered 380 tackles, 61 passes defensed, seven fumble recoveries, six interceptions, three forced fumbles and 0.5 sack. He has also appeared in 12 postseason contests (11 starts) and totaled 56 tackles and six passes defensed. In 2025 with the 49ers, Apple appeared in two games and tallied one tackle on special teams. The team later waived him on August 2, 2026.

A 31-year-old native of Voorhees Township, NJ, Apple attended Ohio State University for three seasons (2013-15), where he appeared in 28 games (27 starts) and registered 86 tackles, 18 passes defensed, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble, and was named Second-Team All-Big Ten in 2015 and Freshman All-America in 2014.

Thomas (6-2, 250) was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round (138th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft. Throughout his two-year NFL career with the Cardinals (2024-25), he has appeared in 18 games and registered 10 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one pass defensed, and one forced fumble. In 2025, Thomas appeared in four games with the Cardinals.


A 26-year-old native of Florence, SC, Thomas attended Clemson University for six seasons (2018-24), where he appeared in 61 games (30 starts) and registered 121 tackles, 17.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, six forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. In 2021, he earned Third-Team All-ACC honors.

White (5-11, 227) was originally drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth round (122nd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. Throughout his four-year NFL career with the Raiders (2022-25), he has appeared in 45 games (nine starts) and registered 198 carries for 736 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, along with 25 receptions for 152 yards through the air. In 2025, White appeared in six games and totaled 12 carries for 32 yards and added four receptions for 24 yards.


A 26-year-old native of Laurinburg, NC, White attended the University of Georgia for four seasons (2018-21), where he appeared in 38 games (23 starts) and registered 382 carries for 2,043 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground to go along with 17 receptions for 132 yards through the air.

Bergen (5-9, 184) signed a Reserve/Future contract with the team on January 20, 2026.

Bouwmeester (6-3, 209) originally signed with the team on July 18, 2026.

Henry (6-4, 255) originally signed with the team on July 29, 2026.]]> Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Why Kaelon Black believes the 49ers' offense can unlock his potential https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202271-kaelon-believes-offense-unlock-potential/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:08:00 PDT 2026-08-12T13:08:00-07:00 David Bonilla 50ead8f7ec0a9bf5c98b4602c33124a7
Indiana's heavy reliance on its wide receivers limited Black's opportunities to showcase his skills in the passing game. Now that he's in the NFL and playing in the 49ers' offense, Black is eager to demonstrate what he can do as a receiver.

Black showed off his pass-catching ability at the Senior Bowl, helping garner interest from the 49ers, who selected him in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

He believes the 49ers have the perfect offense for his skill set.

"It feels great for me," Black told NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco. "I feel like it really maximizes what a running back can truly do. A lot of the time, running backs aren't asked to catch the ball a lot out of the backfield, but here it's the complete opposite. You're going to go out there, you're going to run these different routes, and you're almost going to feel like a receiver first, sometimes."

Black also has the opportunity to learn from one of the NFL's most versatile running backs. Last season, Christian McCaffrey totaled 2,126 scrimmage yards, including 924 receiving yards. Throughout his career, McCaffrey has established himself as one of the league's most dynamic offensive weapons.

"I feel like CMC is a great picture of that because he's versatile," Black said. "He can do it all, so that's what I'm trying to work up to one day."



Black has been a sponge since joining the 49ers, soaking up as much knowledge as possible from McCaffrey and eager to learn from one of the best running backs in the NFL. Maiocco asked Black what McCaffrey can teach him as he prepares for his rookie season.

"The way that he runs his routes, how efficient he is," Black answered. "When I watch him at practice, he has no wasted movement. And I just asked him the other day, 'What do you do to, you know, limit your wasted movement?' He just says it's all about timing and just being yourself. Just doing the things to work on it off the field. And it's also just mental, just going out there and playing ball."



Black has learned plenty from his coaches throughout his football career, and he plans to continue that process as he begins his NFL career with the 49ers.

For a rookie running back with proven receiving ability, the 49ers' offense could provide Black with an ideal opportunity to expand his role. If he can translate his pass-catching skills to the NFL, Black could become another versatile weapon in Kyle Shanahan's offense.]]> Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images 49ers' Brock Purdy closing in on impressive NFL passing record https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202269-closing-impressive-nfl-passing-record/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:12:57 PDT 2026-08-12T11:12:57-07:00 David Bonilla d9cdcf812801a48137f961bdd2e92daf
Purdy currently owns a 104.0 career passer rating. However, he is 147 pass attempts shy of the 1,500 attempts required to qualify for the record officially. He'll likely reach that mark around Week 5.

Rodgers and Jackson both lead the category with a 102.2 career passer rating.

Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon envisions Purdy officially claiming the record early this season, provided he avoids a significant drop-off in 2026. However, the 49ers quarterback will need to continue playing at his typically high level to maintain the record.

"This isn't a milestone-based record, so Purdy can break it and then hand it back quite quickly to Jackson, Rodgers, or someone else (Joe Burrow is also in the mix at 101.1)," Gagnon wrote.

With so many weapons around him, Purdy should have a strong opportunity to take over the No. 1 spot. The 49ers upgraded his receiving corps this offseason by signing Mike Evans and drafting De'Zhaun Stribling. Both have impressed during training camp.

San Francisco also still has versatile running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle, who could return from a torn Achilles in time for Week 1. Additionally, the hope is that defensive coordinator Raheem Morris can improve the defense, giving the 49ers the ammunition to contend in a tough NFC West.]]> Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images 49ers record prediction has team missing playoffs during 2026 season https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202268-record-prediction-missing-playoffs-season/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 10:27:59 PDT 2026-08-12T10:27:59-07:00 David Bonilla e0ea6da53167ffa2276a8ef84d0b188f
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton recently released his record predictions for the 2026 NFL season, and he has the 49ers finishing third in the NFC West for the second consecutive season. Much of that projection stems from San Francisco sharing the division with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams, who are the favorites to win Super Bowl LXI.

Moton predicts the Rams will finish atop the NFC West with a 13-4 record, followed by the Seahawks at 11-6.

As for the 49ers, Moton has San Francisco finishing 9-8 and missing the playoffs altogether. That would be a disappointing outcome for a team with Super Bowl aspirations and a roster it believes is capable of competing with the division's two other heavyweights.

Of course, injury concerns factor heavily into Moton's prediction.

"The 49ers haven't played a preseason game, and they have a rash of injuries at wide receiver," Moton wrote. "According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Mike Evans has a 'minor' quad strain. Christian Kirk is dealing with a calf strain. The team placed Ricky Pearsall on season-ending injured reserve. The 49ers may be relying heavily on Christian McCaffrey, which is a dicey proposition given the wear and tear on his body.

"Also, Nick Bosa is dealing with tendinitis in his surgically-repaired knee. This team's health will be the story of the season. The 49ers have enough talent to stay above .500, but they miss the playoffs."

Most of the 49ers' current injuries are not considered long-term concerns, with Pearsall's setback being the notable exception. Evans returned to practice on Tuesday, while head coach Kyle Shanahan did not sound overly concerned about Bosa's knee.

"Just soreness, tendinitis," Shanahan said on Tuesday. "It's a pretty normal thing with ACLs ... It's a normal thing, and that's why we've got to be smart here for week to week. But I'm feeling no concerns about him being any more than that."

The 49ers will get an early opportunity to show where they stand against one of their biggest NFC West rivals when they open the 2026 regular season against the Rams on September 10 in Melbourne, Australia. The result could provide an early indication of whether San Francisco is ready to challenge for the division titleβ€”or whether Moton's 9-8 prediction should be taken seriously.]]> Troy Taormina-Imagn Images 49ers rookie De'Zhaun Stribling proving himself to Brock Purdy https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202266-rookie-dezhaun-stribling-proving-himself/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:15:26 PDT 2026-08-12T09:15:26-07:00 David Bonilla dc867183017b7ec39a68dedeb028f322 De'Zhaun Stribling has impressed throughout training camp, proving himself to be a reliable target for quarterback Brock Purdy. In fact, plenty of passes have been thrown Stribling's way because his quarterbacks have developed a high level of confidence in the first-year wideout.

Regularly practicing against your own defense is one thing. Stribling showed Tuesday that he can make plays against a different NFL defense, too, hauling in an estimated seven passes during the 49ers' joint practice with the Tennessee Titans.

"Obviously going up against our guys, it's a starting NFL defense, and he's shown that time and time again," Purdy said on Tuesday. "But it was cool just to switch it up today, go up against different guys that we haven't played against, and see him make plays, and run our offense, and be on time and do his job and things like that. So, it was good.

"I know there were a couple routes that we could still talk about and whatnot, but it fires me up that we have stuff that we can keep getting better at. But he showed a lot of flashes and stuff today, so I was excited about it."

On Thursday night, Stribling could have another opportunity to prove himself when he takes the field for the first time in an NFL game, albeit in a preseason matchup. The 49ers will host the Titans at Levi's Stadium.

Purdy does not doubt that Stribling can excel on any stage.

"He's a really smart dude. He gets the game of football," Purdy said. "Sometimes guys come in, they're talented and stuff, but to understand the speed of the NFL and how defenses operate in the NFL, it can be hard for guys to sort of get with it quick. Eventually, they get there, but Strib has been a guy that has come in and has shown he understands it. He understands leverages, he understands coverages, and our concepts and stuff, and where he needs to be.

"And not only that, the effort and everything too. He's come in and run multiple routes and reps back after back, and then getting in the run game and blocking. So all of that, for me as a quarterback, when I see that, I'm like, 'All right dude, this guy's building my trust with him,' and we've connected and made plays together too.

"And we just have to continue to talk, and be on the same page, and communicate moving forward. But I'm really excited for him. I've said that time and time again. It is preseason and everything, so we'll see once we get to the season, but right now I have a lot of trust in him."

After impressing throughout training camp and making several big plays against the Titans' defense, Stribling is showing why the 49ers selected him with their top draft pick.

"The more he's out there, the more he'll get confident," head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "We truly believe he's made of the right stuff. We know his ability, and now it's about him going through a lot of situations that he hasn't been through. I expect him to fail out a number of times in practice, but he's good enough and made of the right stuff that he'll eventually start getting through it.

"You've seen a lot of those today, and hopefully, we can keep doing that more and more so he's ready in Week 1. And it won't stop there. There'll be ups and downs throughout the whole year, but that's why we try to generate as much as possible in practice."

With Purdy and Shanahan already expressing significant trust in him, Thursday's preseason opener could provide Stribling with another chance to show that he belongs in the 49ers' long-term plans.]]> Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images Crucial 49ers training camp battle receives update from Kyle Shanahan https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202263-crucial-training-battle-receives-shanahan/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:55:26 PDT 2026-08-12T07:55:26-07:00 David Bonilla eac7e3bd7314daf4453b888d0a3efe41
Casual observers might assume veteran Robert Jones is the frontrunner for the job. After all, he has taken the majority of the first-team snaps. However, that doesn't mean the competition is settled.

Connor Colby is also competing for the starting role, although he hasn't seemingly been able to close the gap on Jones.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed reporters Tuesday and provided an update on the 49ers' left guard competition.

"I think it's too early to say," Shanahan said. "There definitely is a battle there. It's open for anybody. Those guys would probably be the lead at it."

Shanahan also noted that he is eager to see rookie Carver Willis, a fourth-round draft pick, compete for the left guard job. However, Willis missed time with a concussion, putting him further behind the other candidates.

Thursday night's preseason game against the Tennessee Titans could provide a valuable opportunity for one of the contenders to make a strong impression on the coaching staff.

"It's still early," Shanahan continued. "We want to see those guys in the games, too, but it's definitely a battle for us to see who gets that spot."

With 49ers preseason games about to get underway, Jones, Colby, and Willis will have opportunities to make their cases and potentially change the pecking order.

For a team hoping to protect quarterback Brock Purdy and establish consistency on offense, finding the right answer at left guard will be an important part of the 49ers' preparations for the regular season.]]> Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images 49ers training camp: Titans joint practice sparks fights; Defense, Brock Purdy shine https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202245-training-titans-practice-sparks-defense/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:27:22 PDT 2026-08-11T15:27:22-07:00 David Bonilla bf4a2c0c0efbafbe3d5a631add846885
Head coach Kyle Shanahan observed the entire practice. Notably, he was out of the cast that went over his left hand, replacing it with a brace.

Below are some of the key takeaways from the 10:15 a.m. PT practice at the SAP Performance Facility, compiled from multiple media reports.

Noteworthy non-participants


These are the players who did not practice and are not on an injury list.

  • RB Kaelon Black (adductor)
  • DE Nick Bosa (soreness, tendinitis)
  • WR Jacob Cowing (hip flexor)
  • LB Luke Gifford (hamstring)
  • RB Jordan James (rib fracture)
  • FB Kyle Juszczyk (finger fracture)
  • WR Christian Kirk (calf strain)
  • OT Vederian Lowe (high-ankle sprain)
  • RB Christian McCaffrey (tightness)
  • S Malik Mustapha (hamstring strain)
  • OL Brett Toth (concussion)
  • DE Keion White (adductor)

Injury updates


Wide receiver Mike Evans returned to practice after dealing with a quad strain. However, he only participated in individual drills.

Defensive end Nick Bosa (soreness, tendinitis) and running back Christian McCaffrey (tightness) remained sidelined. It was the fifth consecutive practice Bosa has missed and the second straight for McCaffrey.

"Just soreness, tendinitis," Shanahan said of Bosa. "It's a pretty normal thing with ACLs ... It's a normal thing, and that's why we've got to be smart here for week to week. But I'm feeling no concerns about him being any more than that."

Shanahan also wasn't overly concerned about McCaffrey, suggesting that keeping him out of practice was simply precautionary.

RELATED: Shanahan shares injury updates on McCaffrey, Bosa

Unavailable players


Physically unable to perform (PUP)

  • RB Isaac Guerendo (pectoral)
  • TE George Kittle (Achilles)
  • DE Mykel Williams (ACL)

Injured reserve (IR)

  • DL Andrew Farmer (back)
  • S Darrick Forrest
  • DE Mikail Kamara (ACL)
  • WR Ricky Pearsall (PCL)

Reserve/left squad

  • WR Brandon Aiyuk

Fight Club


Several scuffles broke out between the 49ers and Titans at the start of Tuesday's joint practice session. The intensity quickly turned the workout into a highly physical practice, though probably not in the way the coaching staffs had hoped.


One of the biggest skirmishes came after 49ers cornerback Renardo Green made contact with Titans wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson.

Matt Lively of CBS Sports Bay Area tallied at least eight fights during the practice.

Other 49ers involved in the extracurricular activity included offensive linemen Robert Jones and Dominick Puni, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, and linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.

"I don't want it because we just have a rule on both sides: if you throw a punch, you're out," Shanahan said after practice. "So I think we got two guys thrown out. I'm not sure (which players). I just got told two. And I don't know if that's accurate.

"You don't really care about scuffles. You just hate losing guys. A player loses all the reps for the day, and then your position is down for the whole day. That can usually be a chain reaction for other guys, so that's why we don't want that to happen."

Offensive lineman Austin Deculus was among the Titans players kicked out of practice after taking a swing at a 49ers defender before throwing him to the ground.

49ers defensive leader Fred Warner assured reporters that the scuffles weren't an attempt to get into the Titans' heads.

"We're not trying to fight and do all this other stuff," Warner said. "We're trying to play football, and that's what I had to try to tell the guys early on. I brought everybody together and told them we're not going to get through today if we continue on this path."

You warm up over there


Several observers found it amusing that the 49ers had the Titans warm up on the field closest to the electrical substation while San Francisco warmed up and went through its early individual work on the farthest field.

It was probably just a coincidence, but the arrangement didn't go unnoticed.

Offensive notes


49ers quarterback Brock Purdy continues to shine and looks ready for the regular season. ESPN's Nick Wagoner had him completing 21 of 27 pass attempts, including two touchdowns to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and one to tight end Luke Farrell.

More importantly, Purdy didn't throw an interception against the Titans' defense.

"His best throws came in a move-the-ball sequence in which he dropped a perfect ball between three defenders to rookie WR De'Zhaun Stribling that would have gone for a long touchdown," Wagoner wrote. "And then, he had another layered throw over LB Cody Barton for a big gain to TE Jake Tonges."

Shanahan didn't notice too many mistakes from his starting quarterback.

"Brock's a really good player, so I expect him to have good plays, so I notice all the bad plays," Shanahan said. "And I didn't notice as many bad plays today, so I think he had a hell of a day."

49ers quarterback Mac Jones threw a couple of interceptions.

49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel got some work in the jet sweep, showcasing his versatility.

Titans linebacker Cody Barton broke up a pass intended for Stribling. However, the rookie receiver finished practice with an impressive seven catches during team drills, making several big plays against the Titans' defense.

"The more he's out there, the more he'll get confident," Shanahan said of Stribling. "We truly believe he's made of the right stuff. We know his ability, and now it's about him going through a lot of situations that he hasn't been through. I expect him to fail out a number of times in practice, but he's good enough and made of the right stuff that he'll eventually start getting through it.

"You've seen a lot of those today, and hopefully, we can keep doing that more and more so he's ready in Week 1. And it won't stop there. There'll be ups and downs throughout the whole year, but that's why we try to generate as much as possible in practice."

Patrick Taylor Jr. was the 49ers' first-team running back with McCaffrey still sidelined.

Defensive notes


The 49ers' defense struggled early but bounced back quickly. It didn't give up much to the Titans' offense during team drills, and the defense was clearly the better group during the joint session.

"I think we kind of found our groove a little bit after some of that fiery business going on at the beginning," linebacker Fred Warner said.

49ers cornerback Jakob Robinson intercepted Titans quarterback Will Levis after 49ers linebacker Larry Worth applied pressure during team drills. The pass was intended for Titans wide receiver Hank Beatty, who was running an out-breaking route.

Later, Worth and linebacker Jaden Dugger created pressure on Levis, forcing an incompletion. The 49ers' pass defense was stout throughout the practice.

49ers defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa got pressure on Titans quarterback Cam Ward. Titans players were upset after Odighizuwa grabbed Ward's jersey as the quarterback tried to move out of harm's way. On the very next play, 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown intercepted Ward.

On one play, several members of the 49ers' defensive front surrounded Titans quarterback Mitch Trubisky for what would have been an easyβ€”and potentially painfulβ€”sack in a game.

49ers safety Siran Neal stuffed Titans tight end Xavier Restrepo for a five-yard loss after a catch from Trubisky. On another play, 49ers cornerback Jack Jones had tight coverage against Titans wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, resulting in a Trubisky incompletion.

49ers cornerback Renardo Green showcased good coverage against Ayomanor, leading to an incomplete pass from Ward.

49ers defensive tackles Alfred Collins and Osa Odighizuwa, along with defensive end Romello Height, recorded would-be sacks during team drills. Odighizuwa and Titans offensive tackle Daniel Moore Jr. scuffled after Odighizuwa's sack.

Next practice


The 49ers won't hold a full practice again until after the team's preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night.

Social media: 49ers practice updates


]]> Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images 49ers injury news: Kyle Shanahan shares updates on Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202241-injury-shanahan-updates-christian-mccaffrey/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:44:00 PDT 2026-08-11T13:44:00-07:00 David Bonilla 1d223fdc170dd537b2bf2a33f5baee22
However, it doesn't sound like the 49ers are overly concerned.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters after Tuesday's practice and provided updates on Bosa and McCaffrey.

Bosa is dealing with soreness and a little tendinitis, which Shanahan said is a normal part of the process for a player returning from an ACL injury.

"Just soreness, tendinitis," Shanahan said. "It's a pretty normal thing with ACLs ... It's a normal thing, and that's why we've got to be smart here for week to week. But I'm feeling no concerns about him being any more than that."

Shanahan was also asked if he had any concerns about McCaffrey's recent setback lingering for longer than expected.

"No," Shanahan responded. "My concern would be him toughing through tightness, like a lot of people do, and then hurting something bad, and then pulling something, which then, it could be a month. That would be our concern, so once we hear him talking a certain way, Christian's a guy who needs to get prepared for Week 1.

"But also, we're pretty confident in what he's done before, we're confident in what he's done these two weeks, and we just want to make sure we don't make it something to be concerned about."

Based on Shanahan's comments, the 49ers expect both Bosa and McCaffrey to be ready for Week 1, when San Francisco travels to Melbourne, Australia, to face the Los Angeles Rams.

For now, the 49ers appear to be taking a cautious approach with two of their most important players rather than risking a more serious injury during training camp.]]> Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images Few 49ers starters will play in preseason opener vs. Titans, says Shanahan https://www.49erswebzone.com/articles/202236-shanahan-starters-preseason-opener-titans/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:03:00 PDT 2026-08-11T13:06:22-07:00 David Bonilla dc8ca5ac1c71d49cff6a0d12c21792d7
The 49ers are taking a very different approach.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said few starters will play against the Titans. He was asked if the team had finalized its plan for playing time.

"We have, but we haven't told any of the players yet," Shanahan said. "There won't be many starters playing. We'll see, with injuries today and stuffβ€”and that doesn't mean none. But we've got to balance that out.

"But we haven't told the players yet, so we'll wait until we do that with them this afternoon."

Starters such as running back Christian McCaffrey and defensive end Nick Bosa are dealing with minor injuries and have missed multiple practices. Both were already unlikely to play Thursday night.

The limited playing time also means 49ers fans may have to wait to get an extended look at quarterback Brock Purdy and his new top wide receiver target, Mike Evans.

It remains to be seen which, if any, of the 49ers' starters will suit up for Thursday night's preseason matchup against the Titans.]]> Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images