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The San Francisco 49ers shockingly saw Christian McCaffrey, their star running back, inactive on Monday night against the New York Jets.
But his backup, Jordan Mason, did not disappoint in his first career start, as he helped lead his squad to a 32-19 win to start off the season on the right foot.
All eyes were on Aaron Rodgers making his return to an NFL field after suffering an Achilles tear on the fourth play of the Jets’ “Monday Night Football” matchup against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1.
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San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (24) runs during the second quarter against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium. (David Gonzales-Imagn Images)
But, while Rodgers had his first career touchdown pass in this game, it was Mason who stole the spotlight on his home turf at Levi’s Stadium. Mason scored his first career touchdown as a starter, and rushed for a career-high 147 yards on 28 carries.
The Jets’ stingy defense from 2023 was not there when the ball was in Mason’s hands, as he set the tone early on.
After the Jets scored the game’s first touchdown – a three-yard rush from Breece Hall on a 12-play drive – Mason started to get going on the team’s fourth drive. San Fran was able to convert on two field goal attempts by Jake Moody, including one after the Jets’ touchdown to make it 7-6, but Mason got going with four straight run plays that ultimately opened a lot up for quarterback Brock Purdy.
49ERS STAR CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY SHOCKINGLY INACTIVE VS JETS WITH CALF INJURY
Mason appeared to score the team’s first touchdown of the year, but Deebo Samuel was called for offensive holding on the drive. In fact, it was Samuel a few plays later who took a jet sweep and ran it in from two yards out – just one play after Mason took it 11 yards to the Jets’ doorstep.
Mason would finally see that touchdown count on the team’s second-half opening drive, an 11-play, 70-yard masterpiece where he bust it in from five yards out.
With the score 23-7 after Mason’s score, it appeared this game was out of reach, especially after a tipped pass from Rodgers landed in the hands of Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles for an interception on the next drive.
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. (Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)
But Rodgers’ first career touchdown pass couldn’t have come at a better time, when he got a free play on a 49ers offside penalty and launched a 36-yard strike to Allen Lazard, his old friend from the Green Bay Packers, to make it 26-13. Hall wasn’t able to convert on the two-point try, but it felt like more of a game at that point.
However, the 49ers knocked off almost seven minutes of clock on the ensuing drive – yes, Mason had a lot to do with that – as they added yet another Moody field goal to the score board.
Moody tied a 49ers record with six field goals made in this game on six tries.
Looking further into the box score, Purdy finished the game 19-of-29 for 231 yards with Jauan Jennings his leading receiver with 64 yards on five receptions. Samuel also had five catches for 54 yards, while rushing for 23 yards on eight rushes.
San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (left) celebrates with offensive tackle Colton McKivitz (right) after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets during the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium. (Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)
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For the Jets, Rodgers was 13-of-21 in what fans will call his true debut for 167 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
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