Ji’Ayir Brown did more than grab two interceptions and changed the way Monday night unfolded. He anchored a defense that kept San Francisco in control even when Brock Purdy kept giving Carolina free chances. The 49ers held the Panthers to 230 total yards, their best defensive output since Week 1, and the pro safety was the driving force behind that turnaround. His timing, positioning, and awareness shifted the tone of the entire night. And HC Kyler Shanahan couldn’t agree more:
He said, “He was awesome. We’ll see more on the tape, but it felt like it was his best game as a 49er. He’s been playing at a high level here for a while, but those two picks were huge, and it looked like he made a number of good tackles too.”
Kyle Shanahan on Ji'Ayir Brown’s game tonight:
“He was awesome. We’ll see more on the tape, but it felt like it was his best game as a 49er. He’s been playing at a high level here for a while, but those two picks were huge and it looked like he made a number of good tackles… pic.twitter.com/TBOvnBfuWc
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) November 25, 2025
Kyle Shanahan and Ji’Ayir Brown Show How the Defense Bailed Out a Struggling Offense
Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan looks on after losing to the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan looks on after losing to the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
San Francisco marched down the field on the opening drive, but things went sideways fast. Brock Purdy threw three interceptions before halftime and kept handing Carolina short fields. At the same time, the Panthers almost scored as Bryce Young rushed just past the one-yard line. But Malik Mustapha stopped them with a last-second hit. Right after, Brown grabbed Young’s pass in the end zone. That single sequence erased a touchdown, flipped momentum, and settled a defense that had been crushed by injuries all season.
Brown’s impact kept growing. His second interception with 6:33 left killed Carolina’s final push and sealed the win. That created a new trend. The 49ers entered Week 12 with only one interception through ten games. Now they have four in two weeks. Lenoir said Brown’s timing changed the course of the game, and he was right. Carolina never recovered after that first red zone turnover.
The rest of the defense followed Brown’s tone. Mustapha and Lenoir tackled cleanly and eliminated chunk plays. They also erased the breakdowns that haunted them the previous week when Jacoby Brissett threw for 452 yards. Curtis Robinson made his first NFL start after last year’s knee injury and logged three tackles. That mattered because San Francisco is still without Fred Warner and Tatum Bethune. The unit played faster than it has in over a month, and Shanahan said the young players “keep getting better every week.”
Carolina lost its rhythm once the turnover started piling up hits. Bryce Young finished the night under pressure, and the Panthers’ offense stalled at 230 total yards. Even when Purdy created problems, Christian McCaffrey stabilized the offense with consistent gains, allowing the defense to rest. Then the turnovers closed the door.
Brown’s night stood out because it came when the 49ers needed someone to settle everything. He did that with two perfectly timed picks and several key stops. He delivered the type of performance that changes trust levels inside a locker room. And as Shanahan put it, it looked like the best game of Brown’s career.