McCaffrey did the rest of the heavy lifting on Monday night, taking 31 touches for 142 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers improved to 8-4 with the win. They travel to Cleveland to face the Browns in Week 13. Now San Francisco will wait to find out if Jennings will face disciplinary action from the league after his scuffle in prime time.
Kyle Shanahan’s blunt take on why Jauan Jennings fought Tre’von Moehrig after MNF win
Posted November 25, 2025
Kyle Shanahan explained exactly why Jauan Jennings took a swing at the Panthers' safety after the 49ers' 20-9 MNF win.
The San Francisco 49ers overcame a rocky start by Brock Purdy to beat the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football in Week 12. Purdy tossed three interceptions in the first half but San Francisco rode a big game from Christian McCaffrey and a strong defensive effort to victory.
After the game, tempers flared as Jauan Jennings went after Tre'von Moehrig. The 49ers’ wideout took a swing at the Panthers’ safety and had to be restrained by teammates.
It didn’t take long to figure out exactly why Jennings had an issue with Moehrig. Cameras captured the low blow that instigated the fight. But just in case any doubt remained, Kyle Shanahan addressed the incident in his postgame presser.
“The guy took a cheap shot and hit him in the balls,” Shanahan said, per Coach Yac on X. “And I was real proud of Jauan for not losing his mind out there and getting to the sideline.”
Kyle Shanahan backs Jauan Jennings after MNF fight
With the 49ers up two scores, Carolina attempted a fourth-quarter comeback. Bryce Young threw his second interception of the game but the Panthers’ banged up defense forced a three-and-out, getting the ball back with under five minutes to play.
Carolina’s drive stalled out and Ryan Fitzgerald missed a 57-yard field goal. The 49ers took over and ran out the clock, salting away the 20-9 victory. But it was during this drive that frustration boiled over and Moehrig took his cheap shot. Or, more accurately, Moehring full-on punched Jennings in the groin.
Shanahan credited the receiver for not retaliating with the game still in the balance. But once the contest was over and players took the field to exchange pleasantries, Jennings let Moehrig know how he felt about the low-blow.
While Moehrig snuck a shot in late, Jennings made an impact early on Monday night. Purdy found the wideout at the Panthers’ four-yard line and Jennings fought his way into the end zone, bouncing off three defenders. The 12-yard score capped a 15-play opening drive.
Steelers’ Identity Crisis: Defense Falters, Locker Room Nears Collapse
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an up-and-down 2025 campaign that has seen varying performances from players and groups throughout, especially their defense, showing internal issues.
Defense is something the Steelers have built their identity on for decades, dating back to the "Steel Curtain" days of the 1970s and four Super Bowl victories, but this season couldn't further from that at times.
The Steelers have struggled in many games on defense, as they have allowed 258.7 passing yards and 364.5 total yards per game, the second most and fifth most in the NFL, respectively.
Pittsburgh saw some of their worst performances in back-to-back losses, 33-31 to the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Week 7 and 35-25 to the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium in Week 8.
The Steelers struggled massively against Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco, who joined the team earlier that week in a trade with the Cleveland Browns.
Flacco threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns and completed 16 passes to wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase for 161 yards and a touchdown, plus six passes to wide receiver Tee Higgins for 96 yards and a touchdown.
The Steelers fought for a late lead, thanks to a 68-yard touchdown from quarterback Aaron Rodgers to tight end Pat Freiermuth, but Flacco and the Bengals used the final 2:21 remaining to set up the winning field goal, taking it 33-31.
Pittsburgh also had a 16-7 lead at halftime against the Packers, then failed defensively, as Packers quarterback Jordan Love completed 20 straight passes and led the road team to four toucdowns in the eventual 35-25 defeat.
The Steelers then gave up 325 passing yards and three touchdowns to quarterback Caleb Williams in their most recent defeat to the Chicago Bears, 31-28 at Soldier Field in Week 12.
Frustrating Defensive Play Leads to Internal Issues
Ray Fittipaldo spoke on the North Shore Drive podcast noted how the locker room felt after the defeat
He referenced Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen noted scheme changes that caused problems and edge rusher T.J. Watt seemed tired about answering the same questions on why they struggled defensively.
“It’s not a pissed-off locker room anymore, it’s almost a locker room of resignation,” Fittipaldo said. “It’s almost like they realize they can’t fix what’s going on, or they’re unable to fix what’s going on. I don’t see this getting much better over the final six games of the regular season.”
Is All Hope Lost for the Steelers Defense?
The Steelers have simply not played well enough on defense this season for the amount of money they spend and the players they have on that side of the ball.
A defense that boasts the likes of defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, safety Jalen Ramsey, linebackers in Alex Highsmith and Queen, plus Watt, should not play as poorly as they have in certain games.
Fittipaldo also noted that the Steelers have allowed 30 points in a game five times this season, tied for the most under head coach Mike Tomlin, last doing so in 2013. Their 23.9 points allowed per game is trending towards the worst since 1988, when they finished 5-11.
The Steelers have had good performances on defense, such as forcing five turnovers in the 21-18 road win over the New England Patriots in Week 2
Pittsburgh also held the best offense in the NFL in the Indianapolis Colts to just 20 points and forced three interceptions from quarterback Daniel Jones in the 27-20 home win in Week 9. They then rebounded vs. the Bengals and held them to just 12 points in a home win in Week 11.
The Steelers will have some great quarterbacks they'll face, including Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens twice in Week 14 and Week 18, plus a strong Detroit Lions' offense on the road in Week 16.
Pittsburgh has players with Hall of Fame pedigree and years of experience, but if they want to fend off the Ravens, who are now tied with them in the AFC North Division standings, they'll need their defense to step up once again.
