This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Jordan Mason rushed for a career-best 147 yards and scored a touchdown to help the San Francisco 49ers beat the New York Jets 32-19 and spoil Aaron Rodgers’ return on Monday night at Santa Clara, Calif.
Deebo Samuel also rushed for a touchdown and Jake Moody matched a franchise record with six field goals to fuel the 49ers in the season opener for both teams.
Rodgers, 40, was back on the field two days shy of the one-year anniversary of the season-ending torn left Achilles tendon he sustained in last year’s season opener.
Rodgers completed 13 of 21 passes for 167 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His night ended with a fourth-down incompletion with 7:22 remaining in the game.
Allen Lazard caught two touchdown passes and Breece Hall rushed for a score for New York.
Mason filled in for injured star Christian McCaffrey (calf, Achilles). The third-year pro, an undrafted free agent from Georgia Tech, carried the ball 28 times. His previous high was 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2022 season, and his previous top yardage total was 69 against the Dallas Cowboys last year.
Rodgers was injured on the fourth snap of last opener against the Buffalo Bills. Earlier this week, he indicated he likely would have a reaction for cameras after the fourth snap on Monday.
However, New York went three-and-out on its first possession and trouble occurred on the first snap of the Jets’ next possession. Rodgers completed a backhanded pass to Hall before San Francisco standout Fred Warner knocked the ball out of Hall’s hands and Maliek Collins recovered for the 49ers at the New York 32-yard line.
The turnover set up Moody’s 46-yard field goal with 10:58 left in the opening quarter.
Rodgers then guided the Jets on a crisp 12-play, 70-yard drive that took 7:07. Hall capped the drive with a 3-yard run to give New York a 7-3 lead with 3:51 left in the period.
Moody booted a 51-yard field goal to pull the 49ers within one 56 seconds into the second quarter. San Francisco moved ahead on Samuel’s 2-yard run with 6:54 left in the first half.
Moody kicked a 31-yard field with four seconds remaining in the half, and the 49ers led 16-7 at the break.
San Francisco piled on with a 11-play, 70-yard drive to start the second half that took 7:18 off the clock. Mason scored from the 5 to push the lead to 16.
Moody made a 53-yard field goal that caromed off the left upright before going through to make it 26-7 with 3:28 left in the third period.
Rodgers tossed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Lazard with 1:39 left in the third quarter. Hall’s two-point conversion run failed, leaving the Jets down 26-13.
Moody connected from 23 and 42 yards in the fourth quarter. Ray Wersching (1983), Jeff Wilkins (1996) and Robbie Gould (2017) also made six in a game for the 49ers.
Packers backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw a 3-yard TD pass to Lazard in the final minute.
–Field Level Media
