By Rohan Nadkarni
The San Francisco 49ers ran the New York Jets into submission Monday, winning their Week 1 matchup 32-19.
Third-year running back Jordan Mason, starting in place of the injured Christian McCaffrey, made sure the 49ers didn’t miss their star player. He ran for 147 yards on 28 carries, scoring one touchdown. Mason averaged 5.3 yards per carry and even caught a pass for good measure.
“This is just the beginning,” he said on ESPN. “We’ll see where we go from here.”
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy played efficiently, adding 231 yards through the air, and Jake Moody hit all six of his field goal attempts.
San Francisco dominated the time of possession, controlling the ball for 38 minutes and 40 seconds. The 49ers scored on eight straight offensive possessions before they knelt on their final drive. They ran 70 plays compared with the Jets’ 49.
The Niners’ dominant showing spoiled the re-debut of Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who lasted only four plays for the team last season before he tore an Achilles. Rodgers finished Monday’s game healthy, completing 13 of 21 passes for 167 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Tyrod Taylor replaced him for New York’s final drive with the game out of hand.
The Jets were plagued by a poor run game and some ill-timed drops on offense. As a team, New York ran for only 68 yards on 19 rushing attempts. And half of those yards came on the team’s final, Taylor-led drive.
San Francisco will play the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. The Jets will stay on the road to face the Tennessee Titans.
Respect between the QBs
Greg Rosenstein
Brock Purdy and Aaron Rodgers share a moment postgame.
And the 49ers win!
Rohan Nadkarni
The 49ers will leave Week 1 with a 32-19 win over the Jets in a game that probably wasn’t as close as the score would suggest.
San Francisco dominated the time of possession, thanks in large part to 147 rushing yards from Jordan Mason. Brock Purdy threw for 231 yards, and Jake Moody hit six field goals.
Aaron Rodgers threw for 167 yards in his first almost-full game with the Jets. (He was taken out before the team’s final drive with the game out of hand.) He completed 13 of 21 passes with one touchdown and one interception.
Jets turn the ball over on downs
Rohan Nadkarni
On fourth-and-1, a sliding Garrett Wilson couldn’t pull down a pass from Rodgers, and the Jets will give the ball back to the 49ers trailing 29-13 with seven minutes, 22 seconds left.
49ers’ Trent Williams heads to locker room after scoring drive
Rohan Nadkarni
49ers left tackle Trent Williams left the field and went back to the locker room after the team’s most recent drive.
Williams went back to the locker room for an IV, according to the broadcast.
Williams is an instrumental part of the team’s offense. He didn’t practice with the team all preseason after holding out for a new contract, which he finally signed last week.
49ers score on seventh straight possession
Rohan Nadkarni
Jake Moody hit his fifth field goal of the night, and 49ers lead the Jets 29-13.
San Francisco had a fourth-and-1 at the 5-yard-line but opted to go for the kick. We’ll see how that decision plays out.
49ers leading Jets after three quarters
Rohan Nadkarni
The 49ers have a 26-13 lead over the Jets headed into the fourth quarter.
San Francisco has dominated the time of possession, controlling the ball for nearly twice as long as New York. Jordan Mason has run for 110 yards on 22 carries, while Brock Purdy has thrown for 182 yards. Jake Moody has made all four of his field goal attempts.
The 49ers have scored on six straight possessions.
Aaron Rodgers is 11-of-17 for 144 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He has made some accurate throws. But the Jets have been able to sustain only two drives offensively, with drops and an inconsistent run game as factors.
Aaron Rodgers throws his first touchdown with the Jets
Rohan Nadkarni
Rodgers found a streaking Allen Lazard for his first passing touchdown with the Jets, a 36-yard throw-and-catch.
New York had a free play after the 49ers jumped offside, and Rodgers took advantage by finding Lazard running down the middle of the field.
The Jets tried to draw closer with a two-point conversion, but it failed. The 49ers lead 26-13.
49ers bank field goal after Aaron Rodgers interception
Rohan Nadkarni
The 49ers could manage only 26 yards in eight plays after they picked off Rodgers, but it was good enough to put Jake Moody in range for his fourth field goal of the game.
San Francisco leads the Jets 26-7.
Aaron Rodgers intercepted!
Rohan Nadkarni
The 49ers have picked off Rodgers on the Jets’ first drive of the second half.
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles made the interception after Garrett Wilson couldn’t corral a Rodgers pass and the ball popped up in the air.
San Francisco will take over leading 23-7.
Jordan Mason runs it in for a 49ers touchdown
Rohan Nadkarni
Jordan Mason put the finishing touches on an 11-play, 70-yard drive for the 49ers, running into the end zone from 5 yards out to give San Francisco a 23-7 lead.
The 49ers’ first drive of the second half took over seven minutes off the clock. Mason is up to 88 yards on 17 carries.
49ers driving to start third quarter
Rohan Nadkarni
San Francisco has the ball and is moving down the field to start the second half. After two first downs the 49ers are already in Jets territory.
49ers settle for field goal and lead at halftime
Rohan Nadkarni
The 49ers went 75 yards in 12 plays but couldn’t find the end zone late in the second quarter, instead settling for a field goal.
The kick gives San Francisco a 16-7 lead at halftime.
Jets punt after Aaron Rodgers is pressured on third down
Rohan Nadkarni
The Jets will punt after a three-and-out.
Rodgers was chased out of the pocket on third down and couldn’t find an open receiver. Nick Bosa was closing in on him for the Niners.
San Francisco will take over on its 14-yard-line.
Jordan Mason stepping up in Christian McCaffrey’s absence
Rohan Nadkarni
The 49ers don’t have their star running back tonight, but Jordan Mason has stepped up admirably in place of McCaffrey.
After the 49ers’ most recent drive, he’s up to 67 yards rushing on 10 carries — a robust 6.7 yards-per-carry average.
Mason had a touchdown come off the board because of a Deebo Samuel holding penalty; otherwise he’d be in the scoring column, as well. He’s running hard behind a 49ers’ offensive line that’s creating good running lanes on the perimeter.
Mason is in his third season after having gone undrafted out of Georgia Tech. He played in all 17 games for the Niners last season but had only 40 carries. He’s over a quarter of the way to that total before halftime of tonight’s game.
49ers finally punch it in for a touchdown
Rohan Nadkarni
A Deebo Samuel 2-yard run has put the 49ers back on top.
San Francisco leads the Jets 13-7 after a 12-play, 67-yard drive that was almost set back by multiple holding penalties.
The Jets will get the ball back with under seven minutes to go in the half.
Aaron Rodgers sacked and the Jets punt
Rohan Nadkarni
The Jets will go three-and-out on their first drive of the second quarter.
New York was three-for-three on third downs on its touchdown drive, but San Francisco was finally able to generate pressure and sacked Rodgers on third down.
The 49ers will take over on their 34 trailing 7-6.
49ers convert field goal after eventful third down
Rohan Nadkarni
San Francisco is lucky to escape with three points after it tried a reverse on third down. Deebo Samuel was caught far behind the line of scrimmage and had to break several tackles just to salvage a 3-yard loss.
It was good enough for Jake Moody to get into field goal range, and he drilled a 51-yarder.
The Niners trail the Jets 7-6.
Jets lead after one quarter
Rohan Nadkarni
The Jets are up 7-3 on the 49ers after one quarter.
Rodgers has looked good in his first extended action in well over a year, completing 7 of 9 passes for 64 yards.
The 49ers are driving in Jets territory and will have third-and-5 on the New York 29-yard-line when the second quarter begins.
Jets answer field goal with touchdown
Rohan Nadkarni
After a 49ers field goal, the Jets marched down the field and answered with a Breece Hall touchdown run to cap off a 12-play, 70-yard drive.
Rodgers threw for first downs on three third-and-longs, looking comfortable in the pocket. San Francisco still hasn’t recorded a pressure on him through three drives.
49ers manage only 3 yards and three points after fumble
Rohan Nadkarni
After starting a drive at the Jets’ 32-yard-line courtesy of its defense, the 49ers offense couldn’t do much with the plum field position. San Francisco managed only 3 yards before kicking a field goal. The Niners lead 3-0.
49ers go three-and-out on first possession
Rohan Nadkarni
And the 49ers have answered the Jets’ three-and-out with one of their own.
Brock Purdy threw incomplete on third down under pressure from Quinnen Williams. San Francisco ran only once on the drive with McCaffrey out.
Aaron Rodgers’s first pass of 2024 is incomplete
Rohan Nadkarni
The Jets started their first offensive possession with two runs and then a Rodgers pass on third down. Rodgers threw a perfect ball, but Allen Lazard dropped it, and the Jets punted.
The 49ers will take over on their 7-yard line.
Five 49ers to watch in Week 1 vs. Jets
Matt MaioccoMatt Maiocco is a 49ers beat writer for NBC Sports.
RG Dominick Puni
It looks as if the 49ers found themselves a good one with theirthird-round selection of Dominick Puni, an offensive lineman who has the versatility to play each of the team’s five spots on the offensive line.
For now, he’s locked in at right guard, where hetakes over for Spencer Burfordand Jon Feliciano, who shared the position a year ago.
LB Fred Warner
The Jets feature one of the game’s most versatile running backs. The 49ers’ hopes ofslowing down Breece Hallwill be a team effort, but a lot of the responsibility will fall onto the shoulders of three-timeAll-Pro linebacker Fred Warner.
“I think he’s one of the best backs in the league, just from watching him,” Warner said of Hall. “I haven’t played against him yet. He’s so dynamic with his ability to hit the home run with his speed.”
49ers star Christian McCaffrey inactive vs. Jets
Greg Rosenstein
San Francisco announced the running back would miss "Monday Night Football" with a calf injury. Jordan Mason will be the starting RB for the 49ers.
Robert Saleh hyped for tonight's game
Greg Rosenstein
The Jets' coach was seen running upstairs inside Levi's Stadium a few hours before his team took the field.
Aaron Rodgers has arrived
Greg Rosenstein
Rodgers, from nearby Chico, California, has arrived at Levi's Stadium ahead of his team's "Monday Night Football" game against the 49ers.
Jets still without Haason Reddick
Greg Rosenstein
The Jets acquired elite pass rusher Haason Reddick in the offseason, but he's still holding out while he seeks a new contract. Reddick has sacrificed more than $2 million in fines and lost bonus money, and he will lose around $800,000 per week in game checks if he doesn’t show up.
As of this afternoon, he has no intention of playing against San Francisco.
49ers sign key players to new deals
Greg Rosenstein
Following a lengthy holdout that lasted all of training camp, 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million extension, keeping him in San Francisco after an offseason that included a trade request and reportedly a potential move to Pittsburgh.
The 49ers this week also ensured Brock Purdy will be protected deep into the future by signing star left tackle Trent Williams to a three-year, $82.66 million deal.
Williams will make $27.65 million annually, the most among left tackles.
49ers without wideout Ricky Pearsall
Greg Rosenstein
The 49ers placed rookie WR Ricky Pearsall, a first-round pick out of Florida, on the reserve/NFI list last Monday, two days after he was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt. He’ll miss at least four games while recovering.
Aaron Rodgers is back
Greg Rosenstein
The Jets will open the season on "Monday Night Football" for the second straight season. New York just hopes this game goes better than last season's. In that matchup against the Bills, Rodgers tore his Achilles only four plays in and would not return to a game.
Rodgers, the 40-year-old former MVP and Super Bowl winner, said he feels confident entering the year.
“I’m in a good mind space,” he said. “I really had a year to remember in a lot of ways — some really difficult things, but some great things, as well. There’s always a perspective moment during the anthem to collect your thoughts and send gratitude out there to the universe for the opportunity to be standing on the field in pads. I’ll be really excited about that.”
Rohan Nadkarni
Rohan Nadkarni is a sports reporter for NBC News.