Jauan Jennings on his Super Bowl TD pass: 'I felt like I was back at the University of Tennessee'

Tennessee fans on Sunday night weren’t the only ones thinking about the last time Jauan Jennings threw nearly an identical touchdown pass on a nearly identical play. So was Jennings himself. 

Jennings caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in the second quarter of Super Bowl LVIII Sunday, looked downfield then threw back across to running back Christian McCaffrey on the opposite sideline.

McCaffrey split blockers on the way to the end zone on the 21-yard touchdown pass from Jennings. 

It was the same play Jennings pulled off for Tennessee against Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in 2015, only he threw back to quarterback Josh Dobbs who went 58 yards for a touchdown.

“Oh man, it felt awesome. It felt like I was back at the University of Tennessee, throwing to Josh Dobbs to make that play. 

“I just think about my quarterback coach from high school, I know he’s so proud right now. I thought we were going to win it, man.”

Jauan Jennings telling the press that last night’s double pass play felt like the play him and Josh Dobbs ran at Tennessee.

Pretty awesome to hear 💯 pic.twitter.com/BsEFbZXJct

— Vol Report (@AllVolReport) February 12, 2024

Jennings also caught a go-ahead 10-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter Sunday night at Allegiant Stadium and perhaps was in line to be the game’s MVP had the 49ers won.

He caught four passes for 42 yards and the touchdown, leading San Francisco receivers in the game.

Jennings became just the second player in Super Bowl history to both throw and catch a touchdown pass, joining former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles.

“Man, just a blessing,” Jennings told Jim Wyatt of his opportunity to play in the Super Bowl on Monday, during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night in Las Vegas.  Extremely amazing. And I’m just representing everybody from Tennessee and the 49ers.

“Got a lot of family out here. Everybody is rooting for me. I just can’t wait to bring it back to Tennessee.” 

Jauan Jennings at Tennessee: 146 catches, 2,153 yards, 18 touchdowns

In a five-year career at Tennessee, Jennings caught 146 passes for 2,153 yards and 18 touchdowns. He capped off his career with highs in receptions (59), yards (969) and touchdowns catches (8) during his redshirt senior season in 2019. He added 13 rushes for 51 yards and another score on the ground.

Jennings was a four-star recruit in the 2015 class out of Blackman High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He was dual-threat quarterback prospect — he was rated higher than the other two Super Bowl quarterbacks, Purdy and Patrick Mahomes — before moving to wide receiver at Tennessee.

looked familiar https://t.co/iuP3uUaFzj pic.twitter.com/5TzXZAT4oi

— @GrantRamey (@GrantRamey) February 12, 2024

Jennings, a seventh-round pick selected at No. 217 overall by the 49ers in the 2020 NFL Draft, caught 19 passes for 265 yards and a touchdown in 13 games during the regular season.

He posted career highs with 35 catches on 56 targets for 416 yards and a touchdown in 16 games in 2022 and caught five touchdowns as a rookie in 16 games in 2021, catching 24 passes on 38 targets for 282 yards. 

Jennings signed a four-year, $3.41 million contract after being drafted by the 49ers in 2020. He was cut by San Francisco in September 2020, then protected by the franchise the following December. He signed a Reserve/Future contract with the Niners in January 2021.

“I dreamed about it,” Jennings told Wyatt of his Super Bowl opportunity. “I just kept telling myself as a kid all I got to do is go in to work every day. That’s my life. Just going to work, Monday through Sunday.”