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This unit on the San Francisco 49ers is getting exposed

Originally posted on San Francisco 49ers on SI
By Parker Hurley | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 3:00 PM ET

It is easy for it to get lost in the shuffle when the offense saw Brock Purdy turn the ball over three times himself, and the defense did not record a pressure without Nick Bosa. However, it could be argued just as strongly that the special teams unit is the reason for the San Francisco 49ers' 26-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Did the San Francisco 49ers get it wrong with Brant Boyer?

In a tight game, the punt return group allowed a touchdown to Parker Washington of 51 yards. This took the game from 20-14 to 26-14 and effectively put it out of reach for the 49ers.

The issue is that this is not the first time we have mentioned special teams issues. Heck, it was not the first issue of the game. They allowed a long return before the half that set up a Jacksonville field goal.

Jake Moody missed kicks in the debut and was cut. The 49ers were supposed to hold an offseason kicking competition, but it went for about a week, and Moody was awarded the job without winning it.

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After Moody was cut, Eddy Pinerio opened his 49ers career with a missed extra point. To be fair, he has rebounded since.

The San Francisco 49ers are one of the worst teams in the NFL when it comes to starting field position from kickoffs. There is no mystery about the reasoning, either. Other teams adjusted to the new rule, and San Francisco did not.

Now, we have a punt return for a touchdown. Brant Boyer, in his first year with the team as the special teams coordinator, replacing Brian Schneider. While the unit was not coming off a high season, the thought was that there would be more attention to detail.

It would be one thing if we saw progression, but at this point, the unit has a new hole exposed every week. The miscues are adding up, and the question that should surface is what Boyer was doing with this unit during the preseason, because no one seems prepared.

The 49ers are going to have to win on the edges this year. They are not deep or healthy enough to dominate their opponents. Having a special teams unit consistently put them at a disadvantage is going to be a potential issue throughout the year.

First impressions are not everything, but the first impression that Boyer is putting out is not good. The 49ers cannot fire the first-year coordinator yet, but it is hard to see signs of progress at this point as well.

This article first appeared on San Francisco 49ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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