49ers spoil Aaron Rodgers’ return with 32-19 win over Jets

SANTA CLARA, California – Substitute Jordan Mason was the main protagonist of a match announced as the return of Aaron Rodgers.

Mason ran for 147 yards and a touchdown in place of the injured Christian McCaffrey, and the 49ers spoiled Rodgers’ comeback game with a 32-19 victory over the New York Jets on Monday night.

The former undrafted free agent dominated New York’s highly acclaimed defense with his physical running style, helping the Niners score on eight straight drives.

“I think he runs like he always does,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “When you give him the ball, he breaks tackles, usually gets more than we block. When we had good routes, he always hit them and got a lot of them. But JP was great today.”

Rodgers threw for 167 yards and a TD and also had an interception exactly 52 weeks to the day after his New York debut ended with a torn Achilles tendon after four snaps.

Rodgers struggled with his pocket moves, but still showed off the arm that helped him win four MVP titles with the Green Bay Packers a few times in his first real action for the Jets.

“I can play better,” Rodgers said. “I missed a couple of shots. … I felt like I did a pretty good job of getting the ball out, but I wish I had a few more chances.”

Mason made the most of his opportunities in his first career start. He carried the ball just 83 times in his first two seasons, but he took advantage of being one of the Niners’ few healthy running backs this summer to earn a bigger role with McCaffrey’s sore calf and Achilles still bothering him.

His 28 carries were the most by a Niners player in a regular-season game in 13 years as he showed he can handle a full-time load.

“I’m really happy for him,” quarterback Brock Purdy said. “He earned it. He’s the kind of guy you don’t give a chance to. To see him come out and do what he did tonight, I’m so happy for him.”

Deebo Samuel added a 2-yard TD run and Jake Moody made six field goals, tying a franchise record, to lead the 49ers to victory.

Purdy threw for 231 yards without a touchdown or turnover against a Jets defense that generated little pressure without edge rusher Haason Reddick.

The Niners took control of the game around halftime. They kicked a field goal on a 12-play, 75-yard drive to end the first half and scored on a 5-yard run by Mason on an 11-play, 70-yard drive to start the second half. That turned a 13-7 lead into a 23-7 advantage, with the Jets getting just one kneeling snap during that span.

“They’re a championship team, and they introduced us to championship football,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said.

Rodgers then threw an interception on the ensuing drive on a pass to Garrett Wilson that was deflected by Deommodore Lenoir into the hands of linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles.

Rodgers threw his first touchdown pass in 610 days when he took advantage of an open play when Leonard Floyd jumped offsides to connect a 36-yard pass to Allen Lazard that cut the deficit to 26-13. Lazard caught a second touchdown in the final seconds from Tyrod Taylor after the game was already decided.

“We expect big things when we step on the field,” Rodgers said. “There were moments, moments where we felt pretty good, but it didn’t last. I felt like if we could just get a first down, we’d have it. But we had those three-and-outs that hurt us. I think a lot of things can be fixed.”

Rodgers’ second game with the Jets lasted much longer than his first, which ended with a season-ending Achilles injury after just four snaps in 2023.

New York had three assists in the opening frame of this game, with two passes thrown back and a fumble by Lazard before a fourth-snap setback that was temporary rather than season-ending this time around. Rodgers’ first completion as a Jet was caught by Breece Hall, who saw the ball stripped by Fred Warner for a lost fumble that set up a Niners field goal.

Rodgers got the Jets going on the ensuing drive, converting three third-down passes to Wilson to set up Hall’s 3-yard TD run. Rodgers completed 6 of 7 passes for 61 yards on the drive.

New York failed to get another first down in the first half and trailed 16-7 at halftime.

Injuries

Jets: CB Michael Carter left with an ankle injury.

49ers: McCaffrey was inactive after being listed as questionable with calf and Achilles injuries. … LG Aaron Banks left in the third quarter with a calf injury.

To be continued

Jets: Visit Tennessee on Sunday.

49ers: Visit Minnesota on Sunday.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl