The San Francisco 49ers opened their 2026 preseason slate on Thursday night with a 19-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans, a game that served as an intense laboratory for roster battles. While potential Week 1 starters like Brock Purdy watched from the sidelines in street clothes alongside a similarly sidelined Mac Jones, younger players and rookies seized the opportunity to stake their claims.
De’Zhaun Stribling Shines in Preseason Debut
The centerpiece of San Francisco’s offensive performance belonged to De’Zhaun Stribling, whose night was highlighted by a remarkable second-quarter sideline catch. Challenged unsuccessfully by the Titans, replay reviews confirmed the rookie managed to keep one toe a grass-blade width from the sideline with his heel hovering above the stripe, turning an 11-yard gain into a first down at the Tennessee 4-yard line. The drive culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Patrick Taylor Jr.
Stribling finished the outing hauling in seven catches on eight targets for 63 yards. His production included a physical 10-yard reception through tight coverage from cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, as well as the team’s longest play from scrimmage—a 32-yard reception down the right sideline snatched over Flott, who has started 37 NFL games across four seasons. Coaches rewarded the rookie’s output by giving him the rest of the night off with nearly eight minutes remaining in the second quarter.
“It seemed good. We’ll see when we watch the film. I thought he struggled a little bit on that first drive, but I think he got three drives after that and seemed like he executed all the stuff that went to him. I liked how his hands looked out there, and he played physical.”
Kyle Shanahan, The New York Times
Reflecting on his first professional action, Stribling admitted to early jitters. But getting the first hit out of the way, the first catch out of the way, I started getting into a groove.
And then everything started rolling.
Kurtis Rourke Impresses Before Sustaining Rib Injury
Quarterback Kurtis Rourke started ahead of Adrian Martinez in the battle for the third quarterback spot, putting together an efficient performance before exiting early. Rourke completed 12 of 14 passes for 101 yards against a Titans starting defense that featured Jeffery Simmons, though protected by a line of backups including Drake Nugent and Brandon Parker.
Rourke showcased his mobility on the opening drive by escaping pressure from Cody Barton on fourth down to gain six yards and extend the sequence. However, his night ended prematurely when he put his head down on a 3-yard run near the goal line and sustained an injury to his ribs. Though he stayed on the field to finish the drive—incurring a delay of game penalty that drew coach Kyle Shanahan’s ire for a lost play clock—he did not return.
Shanahan noted after the game that Rourke experienced trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital as a precaution, though the coach did not initially believe the issue was serious. The team subsequently announced Friday morning that Rourke had been released from the hospital.
Defensive Standouts and Roster Battles against Tennessee
Defensively, rookie linebacker Jaden Dugger capitalized on his training camp hype while battling Nick Martin for the SAM linebacker spot. Dugger made an impact by meeting Titans quarterback Cam Ward on a scramble for a two-yard gain on Tennessee’s second play from scrimmage, followed by an arm tackle on running back Tyjae Spears.
Defensive tackle Gracen Halton also flashed a disruptive streak, working through Titans starting linemen Peter Skoronski and Dan Moore Jr. to record a backfield presence that was ultimately negated by a secondary penalty, immediately followed by throwing an offensive lineman aside to wrap up Spears for a loss.
Meanwhile, cornerback Ephesians Prysock filled in for an injured Jack Jones, who was sidelined with a hand injury. Prysock broke up a red-zone pass intended for Carnell Tate, demonstrating early readiness as the 49ers navigate their preseason evaluations.
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