49ers Bounce Back at SoFi: What We Learned from San Francisco’s Preseason Battle vs. Chargers

Stache and all, head coach Kyle Shanahan had his San Francisco 49ers ready to respond at SoFi Stadium. Following a challenging joint practice session with the Los Angeles Chargers earlier in the week, San Francisco flipped the script on Thursday night, showing a completely different level of juice and execution. From early first string defensive stands to a dominant 21-unanswered-point avalanche in the second half, the 49ers fired on nearly all cylinders.

Here are the key takeaways and drive-by-drive highlights from Thursday night’s exhibition action:

The 49ers' starting defense wasted no time washing away the bad taste of Tuesday’s joint practice. Facing Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert on the opening drive, San Francisco's frontline defense shut down the edge and forced a crisp three-and-out.

Veteran Deebo Samuel Sr. surprised many by stepping back to field the opening punt, a clear signal from Shanahan testing special teams field positioning, taking the fair catch cleanly.

When Los Angeles turned over the keys to former 49ers quarterback Trey Lance, the defense didn't flinch. San Francisco's defensive front remained stout against the run, suffocating interior lanes and forcing another quick three-and-out.

Later in the second quarter, cornerback Jack Jones delivered a clutch pass breakup in tight coverage inside the red zone, forcing Los Angeles to settle for a 21-yard Cameron Dicker field goal.

• Brock Purdy: Purdy got the nod under center for his 2026 preseason debut. Operating against Los Angeles' starting defense, Purdy commanded the huddle smoothly before making way for the backup rotation after his opening series.
• Mac Jones: Jones took over on San Francisco's second drive and directed an efficient, rhythm based offense. To open the second quarter, kicker Eddy Piñeiro capped off a well executed series by drilling a 48 yard field goal like clockwork.
• Adrian Martinez: Martinez navigated a wild roller coaster ride in the second half. After throwing an early third quarter pick six against DJ Uiagalelei's Chargers unit, Martinez showed remarkable mental toughness. He orchestrated three consecutive touchdown drives, capitalizing on a Chargers fourth down penalty with a goal-line rushing TD, converting a fourth and short on a clock eating drive, and taking another keeper into the end zone himself.

The highlight of the night belonged to wideout Jacob Cowing. With under three minutes remaining in the first half, Cowing fielded a JK Scott punt, caught a seam behind fantastic special teams blocking, and took it 84 yards to the house for a stunning touchdown return.

The 49ers' special teams unit wasn't done making plays, later recovering a muffed Chargers punt in the second half to set up short field position.

• Sincere McCormick: Operating behind an offensive line that opened up massive lanes, McCormick ripped off a huge gain midway through the second quarter before punching in a short rushing touchdown to cap off a dominant red zone drive.
• De’Zhaun Stribling: The rookie wideout continues to make a compelling case for a major regular season role. His route running and body control make him a player who could break out in a big way before the year is over.
• Jordan Watkins: Watkins put the exclamation mark on Martinez's second half surge, hauling in a 17 yard touchdown pass after the recovered muffed punt.

While preseason football naturally brings a handful of penalties and messy reps, both coaching staffs acknowledged that August is the time to experiment and test roster boundaries. After struggling in joint practices, San Francisco proved its depth can adjust, respond to adversity, and execute under the lights at SoFi Stadium.