SANTA CLARA — It’s been 364 days since Aaron Rodgers last stepped on the field.
Monday night marked the return of Rodgers, 40, who tore his Achilles nearly a year ago during his Jets debut.
It was not a Hollywood return for Rodgers as the 49ers (1-0) rolled past the Jets (0-1), 32-19, in front of a sellout crowd at Levi’s Stadium.
Rodgers completed 13-of-21 passes for 167 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. The Jets registered 266 yards of total offense the entire night. Conversely, the 49ers’ offense finished with 401 yards.
With the 49ers up 19 with 4:20 left, Tyrod Taylor came in for Rodgers with the game well in hand. Taylor did help lead the Jets to a touchdown after he completed a three-yard touchdown pass to Allen Lazard with 25 seconds left.
Throughout training camp, Rodgers didn’t show signs of his torn Achilles lingering him. However, the four-time NFL MVP didn’t play in any preseason game and hadn’t played in a full game since Jan. 2023, his final game with the Packers.
The rustiness from the Jets’ starting offense, which did not receive any preseason snaps, showed early in Monday’s game.
Gang Green received the ball first after San Francisco won the toss and deferred until the second half. But after two Breece Hall runs and an Lazard drop, the Jets offense went three and out.
Gang Green’s offense stalled on their second drive after Hall fumbled on their own 33-yard line after a shovel pass from Rodgers, and the 49ers took over in enemy territory. San Francisco could only muster a 46-yard field goal from Jake Moody, which gave the team a 3-0 lead early.
Gang Green’s third drive of the afternoon was more successful than its first two. Rodgers and wide receiver Garrett Wilson hooked up four times on the drive, which helped set up Hall’s three-yard touchdown run that gave the Jets a 7-3 lead.
But the Jets’ offense went four consecutive drives without scoring a point. Meanwhile, the 49ers scored on eight consecutive drives to end the game.
Down 23-7 in the third quarter, Rodgers threw a pass to Wilson, but it was tipped and intercepted by cornerback Deommodore Lenoir. Just when it seemed like the 49ers would finally punt after an incomplete pass on third down, Jermaine Johnson’s illegal hands to the face penalty gave the 49ers a first down. Johnson’s penalty set up Moody’s 53-yard field goal, which was good as the 49ers extended their lead to 26-7.
Gang Green’s offense finally started to show signs of life late in the third quarter. In only five plays, the Jets offense marched down the field, and Rodgers completed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Lazard, cutting the 49ers’ lead to 26-13. The Jets went for the two-point conversion, but Hall was stopped short at the one-yard line.
The Jets were without pass rusher Haason Reddick, who they acquired in a trade with the Eagles in late March. Reddick, 29, has been holding out because he is unhappy with his contract situation. He is in the final year of a three-year, $45 million contract he signed with the Eagles in 2022.
Gang Green finished with three sacks on four pressures on 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who completed 19-of-29 passes for 231 yards.
The 49ers were without running back Christian McCaffrey, last season’s NFL leading rusher. McCaffrey has been dealing with calf and ankle injuries since the beginning of training camp.
Jordan Mason started in McCaffrey’s place and bullied the Jets’ defense in the first half. He finished with 147 rushing yards and a touchdown on 28 carries.
The 49ers offense continued to give the Jets defense fits to begin the second half. San Francisco went on an 11-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a five-yard touchdown run by Mason.
Late in the second quarter, Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner bizarrely exited the game and headed to the sideline with his helmet in his left hand. In total, Gardner spent nine plays on the sideline. According to ESPN, Jets public relations said Gardner’s exit from the game was not injury-related.
Gardner did return on the final two plays of the first half, both of which resulted in incomplete passes. The 49ers settled for Moody’s third field goal, which put them up nine at halftime.
The Jets will be on the road for the second consecutive week to play the Titans at Nissan Stadium. San Francisco will travel to play Minnesota.