Right guard Dominick Puni nearly cost the 49ers the game Sunday when he was flagged for a holding penalty that gave the Arizona Cardinals a go-ahead safety late in the fourth quarter.
But even though the mishap hardly was Mac Jones’ fault, the veteran quarterback still took responsibility before leading San Francisco on a game-winning field-goal drive mere moments later in the 49ers’ 16-15 win at Levi’s Stadium.
After the game, Puni described Jones’ initiative — despite being San Francisco’s No. 2 quarterback entering the 2025 NFL season — to lead the team to a gutsy Week 3 win to improve to 3-0.
“He came in, commanded the huddle. There was no shakiness about him,” Puni told reporters about Jones’ presence. “He said the safety was on him. I said, ‘Mac, don’t even. That’s completely on me.’
“But the fact that he’s coming up to me and saying that just shows about his leadership. He’s just a great guy, and I’m glad he got his redemption drive.”
After getting the ball back trailing by two with 1:46 to go, Jones guided the 49ers’ offense 63 yards across 10 plays to set up Eddy Pineiro’s buzzer-beating kick.
So no matter who really is to blame for that safety on the prior drive, it didn’t end up denying San Francisco a win in their home opener. Regardless, the second-year lineman Puni intends to use the play as a teaching moment.
“Can’t hold. It’s a tricky situation because if you hold, it’s automatically a safety,” Puni explained about what he learned. “But if you just let him go — obviously don’t lose — but if you let him go and let the quarterback try and make a play, if he gets sacked, it’s the same result.
“But got to let him try and make a play, and just let go.”