Kerby Joseph shoves Jauan Jennings into front row after heated exchange with Terrion Arnold

Tempers flared early in the Monday Night Football contest between the San Francisco 49ers (6-9) and Detroit Lions (13-2) at Levi’s Stadium.

With San Francisco working near Detroit’s goal line, 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings finished a block on Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold, prompting safety Kerby Joseph to defend his rookie teammate. Jennings blocked Arnold through the back of the end zone, the two players going to the ground together. Jennings rose to his feet and was immediately greeted with a shove from Joseph, who put him back on his keister. Arnold then came over and swiped at Jennings’ helmet.

Kerby Joseph and Jauan Jennings were both called for personal foul penalties after the whistle on this play.#DETvsSF | ABC, ESPN, ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/HwBbWGhdd8

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 31, 2024

Both Jennings and Joseph received personal foul penalties for their respective roles.

49ers, Lions headed in different directions

Nobody tell the 49ers they have nothing to play for as even though they will not be playing postseason football one year removed from a Super Bowl appearance, they would love to finish their last two games on a high note.

Detroit, meanwhile, is playing for home field advantage throughout the playoffs in the NFC. The Lions have already set a franchise record with 13 wins this season but have never been the No. 1 seed in their history. Detroit is one of five teams since seeding began in 1975 that have never been a No. 1 seed, along with the Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets, per ESPN.

Also at play is that this is a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship Game. The 49ers squeaked out a 34-31 victory over the Lions in that one, and Detroit wants to atone for that. At the same time, head coach Dan Campbell knows his team must stay composed and focus on the bigger picture.

“You don’t want to go through that feeling again, and that means you have to prepare a certain way, you have to play a certain way, everything that you talk about, per that opponent, for that week, and it’s as simple as that,” Campbell said earlier this week. “This is the next opponent in front of us and just keep your cool, keep your composure, stay disciplined, do the little things that it takes to win a game, and it really is that simple.”