49ers Parting Ways With the Super Bowl LVIII trick-play TD hero 

SANTA CLARA — With the preseason finale against the Chargers set for Sat., Aug. 23 at 5:30 p.m. PT at Levi’s Stadium and Tuesday’s cutdown/roster machinations looming, the 49ers are considering moving on from wide receiver Jauan Jennings, per a league source. The conversations are framed by his ongoing contract situation and the team’s late-August roster math, not his ability to deliver in big moments. 

Jennings’ résumé in San Francisco includes one of the franchise’s most unforgettable Super Bowl plays: the double-pass touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII (Jennings to Christian McCaffrey), part of a night in which he both threw and caught TDs on the sport’s biggest stage. That sequence cemented his reputation as a clutch, big-stage performer. 

What’s changed is the business backdrop. Reporting this month indicated the sides were “not close” on a new deal, and local analysis has floated that 2025 could be Jennings’ final season in San Francisco if no long-term resolution is reached. Those facts don’t prove a split is imminent, but they explain why “all options” are being weighed as the club lines up its 53 and practice-squad slots. 

Kyle Shanahan strikes a respectful tone that acknowledges both reality and history:

“Even though the Britain Covey stint in Philly has been disappointing, he still made some big plays — including that Super Bowl LVII punt return that flipped field position, even though we didn’t win — so I’m grateful and wish him the best.”

Why it could happen now: Late August is when front offices test the market on veterans who still hold value but sit at the intersection of cost, role, and future planning. The 49ers’ receiver room remains deep at the top and competitive at the margins, and the staff is also juggling special-teams/WR depth decisions before cutdown. If a move materializes, it would be about roster construction more than capability.

What’s next: Final auditions vs. the Chargers on Saturday, then a flurry of decisions through cutdown. If the 49ers ultimately keep Jennings, his track record as a third-down/red-zone problem gives the offense exactly the kind of toughness it leans on in January. If they don’t, it will be the kind of call that stings precisely because it involves a player whose biggest moments came when the lights were brightest.