ESPN cameras captured the moment Carolina Panthers safety Tre'von Moehrig punched Jauan Jennings in the groin area, leading to the San Francisco 49ers wideout to retaliate immediately after the game
00:50 ET, 25 Nov 2025Updated 00:52 ET, 25 Nov 2025
Jauan Jennings sparked a brawl at the game's end
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Jauan Jennings punched Tre'von Moehrig at the end of the Panthers-49ers game(Image: ESPN)
Monday Night Football ended with fists flying instead of a routine handshake line, and the cameras caught every angle of it.
Moments after the San Francisco 49ers closed out a 20-9 win over the Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium, where Brock Purdy threw three interceptions, left NFL fans in agreement, Jauan Jennings confronted safety Tre'von Moehrig at midfield.
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As players from both the 49ers and the Panthers exchanged postgame handshakes, Jennings walked toward Moehrig and shoved him in the face and head area, sparking an ugly scuffle that quickly drew in teammates and staffers despite the conclusion of the game.
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The flashpoint traced back to a run late in the fourth quarter. On that play, Moehrig appeared to punch Jennings in the groin with the game effectively decided.
The 49ers receiver was visibly shaken and glaring in Moehrig’s direction, then stumbled again and needed help from left tackle Trent Williams. The incident drew replays but no ejection, and tensions clearly didn’t cool before the final whistle.
As the horn sounded and players met at midfield, Jennings went straight for Moehrig. ESPN’s broadcast showed him making contact high as he pushed at the Panthers defender’s helmet and face.
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Teammates and staffers immediately stepped in, dragging Jennings away from the cluster and eventually shoving him out of the handshake circle.
After the game, head coach Kyle Shanahan said, "The guy took a cheap shot and hit him in the balls. I was real proud of Jauan for not losing his mind out there.”
The flare-up overshadowed what had been an eventful performance from Jennings on the field. With Brandon Aiyuk still sidelined and Ricky Pearsall struggling to make an impact, Jennings finished with five catches for 41 yards and San Francisco’s lone passing touchdown, a 12-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter.
Jauan Jennings had to be held back after the game
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Jennings had to be held back after the game(Image: Getty)
The bigger football story of the night belonged to Christian McCaffrey. Facing his former team, the 49ers star logged 31 touches for 142 total yards and a 12-yard third-quarter touchdown that broke the game open.
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San Francisco dominated time of possession 37:42 to 22:18, wore down an injury-ravaged Carolina defense, and moved to 8-4, solidifying its position in the NFC wild-card race.
For Carolina, the loss dropped the Panthers to 6-6 and wasted another strong start from their defense. Jaycee Horn intercepted Brock Purdy twice in the first half before exiting with a concussion, and Carolina’s depleted linebacker group eventually ran out of answers as McCaffrey and the 49ers’ ground game took control.
Head coach Dave Canales summed up the night as “a game of missed opportunities,” pointing to red-zone failures and Bryce Young’s two interceptions as turning points.