49ers' Juan Jennings Throws Unexpected Punch At Carolina Panthers Rival After Apparent Cheap Shot

San Francisco 49ers star Juan Jennings had a few things to say to his Carolina Panthers rival, Tre'von Moehrig. During ESPN's "Monday Night Football" broadcast, cameras captured Jennings throwing an unexpected and violent punch at Moehrig after the game, catching his teammates, coaches, and officials by surprise. Later in the broadcast, however, the reason for Jennings' shocking outburst became clear, prompting widespread support from those closest to him and NFL fans.

The game between the San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers was an intense matchup that kept fans on the edge of their seats throughout all four quarters.

The excitement continued after the game when ESPN cameras showed Jennings lashing out at Moehrig shortly after the final whistle.

In the clip above, Jennings takes a few swings at Moehrig before being separated by other NFL players and his coaches.

What prompted his emotional response wasn't immediately known; however, camera angles eventually showed Moehrig taking a cheap shot at Jennings during an earlier play, punching him square in the groin, causing Jennings to double over in agony.

The 49ers won 20-9 at home in California, and afterward, both players spoke with the media about their fiery interaction.

Moehrig explained that his actions were a direct response to Jennings displaying "some childish behavior."

Jennings, however, told reporters that Moehrig's punch came "out of nowhere" before theorizing that his frustration came from Jennings' extra effort during the game.

"I think it's probably just like I was saying, just the history of me playing ball. I play hard. I'm physically stronger than a lot of DBs out there and a lot of things happen in between the whistles. With me at least," Jennings said.

San Francisco's head coach, Kyle Shanahan, also broke his silence on the "cheap shot" thrown by Moehrig and raved about how "proud" he was of Jennings on the field.

Carolina's head coach, Dave Canales, seemed a bit frustrated about the situation when speaking with reporters, vowing to "get to the bottom of that" after reviewing the footage. "That'll be a conversation," he said.

NFL fans have also been making their voices heard about Moehrig's punch, with many calling for him to be suspended and fined for committing such a flagrant foul.

"What an a-shole. If I were Jennings, I'd have got a running start and kicked him right back," an X user posted.

"Every player talks trash during the game," another user shared. "It's all part of it. Now punching one of them in the nuts is another thing and should not be acceptable or brushed off."

Nearly a week before Moehrig's actions drew criticism from the public, Cincinnati Bengals player Ja'Marr Chase sparked controversy of his own after cameras showed him spitting at Pittsburgh Steelers player Jalen Ramsey.

Chase faced even more backlash after lying to reporters about the situation and saying he "never opened my mouth to that guy." The LSU alum later received a one-game suspension, losing out on more than $500,000.

On November 24, 2025, Chase issued a public apology and appeared to take accountability for his behavior.

"Please know I am speaking from my heart when I say I take full responsibility for my actions during last Sunday's game at Pittsburgh," he wrote. "What I did was wrong. The circumstances don't matter. My passion for the game is no excuse. There's no place in our sport—or in life—for that level of disrespect."

However, many social media users tore apart the wide receiver's statement, accusing him of being insincere.

"Man, he don't mean that sh-t," someone wrote. "Apologized to everyone except dude he spit on," another posted.

"Forgot to mention Jalen Ramsey? Forgot to admit lying?" a third user posted, while a fourth questioned, "How come he didn't apologize for lying about not spitting?"

It's unclear how the NFL will punish Jennings and Moehrig for their on-field fracas. If they follow the same approach as the other unsportsmanlike conduct infractions, both players will receive hefty fines before moving on with the rest of their seasons.