The Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers met under the Monday night lights on November 24, 2025, at Levi’s Stadium. Although Carolina’s defense created several early opportunities, San Francisco controlled possession, protected its lead, and earned a 20–9 victory.
The Carolina Panthers vs 49ers Match Player Stats reveal a contest shaped by two very different stories. The Panthers intercepted Brock Purdy three times in the first half, yet their offense struggled to turn those takeaways into points. Meanwhile, Christian McCaffrey delivered an impressive all-around performance against his former team and helped San Francisco control the pace of the game.
Match overview
The Week 12 matchup featured a Panthers team trying to stay involved in the NFC South race and a 49ers side looking to strengthen its position in the conference. San Francisco entered the game with a 7–4 record, while Carolina arrived at 6–5.
San Francisco moved to 8–4 with the victory, whereas Carolina fell to 6–6. More importantly, the 49ers won their third regular-season meeting in a row against the Panthers and improved their overall record in the series to 11–13.
Quick Bio Table
| Match detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | November 24, 2025 |
| Venue | Levi’s Stadium |
| Competition | NFL regular season |
| Week | Week 12 |
| Final score | 49ers 20, Panthers 9 |
| Halftime score | 49ers 10, Panthers 3 |
| Winning record | San Francisco improved to 8–4 |
| Losing record | Carolina dropped to 6–6 |
Final score
The Panthers vs 49ers score did not fully reflect how many opportunities Carolina’s defense created. San Francisco scored in every quarter, while the Panthers failed to score in the first and fourth periods.
| Team | First | Second | Third | Fourth | Final |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
San Francisco opened the scoring with a patient 15-play, 72-yard drive that lasted 8 minutes and 43 seconds. Brock Purdy finished the possession with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jauan Jennings.
Carolina responded in the second quarter through Ryan Fitzgerald’s 25-yard field goal. However, Matt Gay restored San Francisco’s seven-point lead with a 47-yard field goal before halftime.
Christian McCaffrey stretched the advantage to 17–3 with a 12-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter. Bryce Young then found rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan for a 29-yard score, although the Panthers failed on the two-point attempt. Gay completed the scoring with a 29-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Team comparison
San Francisco’s control of the football became one of the clearest differences between the teams. The 49ers held possession for 37 minutes and 42 seconds, compared with only 22 minutes and 18 seconds for Carolina.
The 49ers also produced 340 total net yards, while the Panthers finished with 230. Carolina committed four penalties for 30 yards, whereas San Francisco committed only two for six yards.
| Team statistic | Panthers | 49ers |
| Total net yards | 230 | 340 |
| Rushing yards | 69 | 147 |
| Net passing production | 161 | 193 |
| Penalties | 4 | 2 |
| Penalty yards | 30 | 6 |
| Time of possession | 22:18 | 37:42 |
| Interceptions thrown | 2 | 3 |
| Third-down conversions | 1 of 7 | Better sustained-drive production |
Carolina’s biggest offensive problem came on third down. The Panthers converted only one of seven attempts, which prevented them from building long drives and kept their defense on the field. San Francisco’s defense had not held an opponent to such a low third-down conversion percentage since December 2022.
Panthers player stats
The Carolina Panthers player stats show that Bryce Young completed 18 of 29 passes for 169 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. His completion rate reached 62.1 percent, but both turnovers came at damaging moments.
Young’s first interception occurred near the goal line after Carolina had gained excellent field position. Ji’Ayir Brown read the play and intercepted the pass in the end zone, taking away what could have become Carolina’s first touchdown.
The Panthers quarterback later threw another interception to Brown. San Francisco frequently challenged him with man coverage and selective pressure. Against man coverage, Young completed only two of seven attempts for 11 yards and threw both interceptions.
| Panthers passer | Comp./Att. | Yards | TD | INT |
| Bryce Young | 18/29 | 169 | 1 | 2 |
Carolina received little support from its rushing attack. Rico Dowdle carried six times for 38 yards, Chuba Hubbard added 16 yards on three attempts, and Young rushed four times for 15 yards. The Panthers called only 13 rushing attempts in total.
Dowdle still led Carolina with 74 yards from scrimmage, recording 38 rushing yards and 36 receiving yards. However, the limited number of offensive plays prevented the Panthers from involving him consistently.
| Panthers rusher | Carries | Yards | Long | TD |
| Rico Dowdle | 6 | 38 | 17 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | 3 | 16 | 10 | 0 |
| Bryce Young | 4 | 15 | 7 | 0 |
Tetairoa McMillan supplied Carolina’s only touchdown. The rookie caught two passes for 35 yards, including a 29-yard score late in the third quarter. Jalen Coker added three receptions for 32 yards, while Xavier Legette recorded three catches for 22 yards.
Dowdle led the Panthers with four receptions for 36 yards. Hubbard also caught four passes, gaining 27 yards. Carolina completed several short throws, but the offense produced too few explosive gains to seriously threaten San Francisco’s lead.
49ers player stats
The 49ers player stats were led by Christian McCaffrey, who played against Carolina for the first time since the Panthers traded him to San Francisco in 2022.
McCaffrey carried the ball 24 times for 89 yards and one touchdown. He also caught seven passes for 53 yards, giving him a game-high 142 yards from scrimmage.
His involvement began immediately. McCaffrey handled nine touches on San Francisco’s opening drive, tying his career high for touches on a team’s first possession. He later scored on a 12-yard run during a 13-play, 80-yard third-quarter drive.
| 49ers rusher | Carries | Yards | Long | TD |
| Christian McCaffrey | 24 | 89 | 17 | 1 |
| Brian Robinson Jr. | 7 | 40 | 12 | 0 |
| Brock Purdy | 6 | 16 | 9 | 0 |
| Ricky Pearsall | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Brian Robinson Jr. provided useful support with 40 yards on seven carries. As a result, San Francisco finished with 147 rushing yards and maintained balance even when its passing game became inconsistent.
Brock Purdy completed 23 of 32 passes for 193 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. His three turnovers could have changed the game, but Carolina scored only three points from them.
| 49ers passer | Comp./Att. | Yards | TD | INT |
| Brock Purdy | 23/32 | 193 | 1 | 3 |
George Kittle led all receivers with six catches for 78 yards. He repeatedly found space in the middle of the field and averaged 13 yards per reception.
McCaffrey followed with seven catches for 53 yards, while Jauan Jennings recorded five receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown. Jennings also made an important third-down catch during the drive that ended with McCaffrey’s rushing score.
| 49ers receiver | Receptions | Yards | Long | TD |
| George Kittle | 6 | 78 | 25 | 0 |
| Christian McCaffrey | 7 | 53 | 19 | 0 |
| Jauan Jennings | 5 | 41 | 12 | 1 |
| Demarcus Robinson | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Ricky Pearsall | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
Defensive impact
Carolina’s defense kept the game close during a difficult first half. Jaycee Horn intercepted Purdy twice, while Mike Jackson added another interception in the end zone.
Jackson’s play prevented a possible touchdown to Ricky Pearsall. Meanwhile, Horn’s second interception helped set up Carolina’s only first-half points. It marked the first time since October 2019 that the Panthers had recorded three interceptions in one half.
Krys Barnes also delivered a strong performance in his first start of the season. He played 69 of Carolina’s 70 defensive snaps and finished with a game-high 10 tackles.
However, San Francisco’s defense made the more decisive plays. Ji’Ayir Brown intercepted Young twice and recorded five tackles. His first interception stopped Carolina near the goal line, while his second ended another possible scoring opportunity.
Clelin Ferrell added a fourth-quarter sack for an eight-yard loss, and Bryce Huff registered two quarterback hits. Brown’s performance later earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week recognition.
Key moments
The opening drive established San Francisco’s approach. Rather than chasing quick plays, the 49ers used McCaffrey repeatedly, converted manageable downs, and removed almost nine minutes from the clock before Jennings scored.
Carolina’s first major chance arrived after Horn intercepted Purdy. Young scrambled close to the goal line, but Brown’s end-zone interception erased the opportunity. That sequence became one of the biggest Panthers vs 49ers match highlights because it prevented Carolina from tying the score.
The Panthers created two more first-half takeaways, yet they reached halftime with only three points. Therefore, San Francisco led 10–3 despite Purdy’s three interceptions.
The decisive possession came in the third quarter. San Francisco drove 80 yards in 13 plays and consumed 7 minutes and 43 seconds. McCaffrey completed the drive with his 12-yard touchdown run, giving the 49ers a two-score advantage.
McMillan’s touchdown briefly gave Carolina hope. However, the failed two-point conversion left the Panthers eight points behind. San Francisco then answered with a long fourth-quarter possession that ended in Gay’s second field goal.
Why San Francisco won
San Francisco won because it controlled the game between the turnovers. The 49ers ran 38 times, gained 147 rushing yards, and held the ball for more than 37 minutes. Consequently, Carolina’s offense received fewer possessions and ran only 43 official offensive plays, tied for the second-lowest total in Panthers history.
McCaffrey served as the center of the game plan. His 31 combined carries and receptions allowed San Francisco to stay ahead of the chains. Kittle and Jennings then supplied dependable targets whenever Purdy needed a completion.
Carolina’s defense deserves credit for intercepting Purdy three times. Still, the Panthers failed to turn those takeaways into enough points. Their lack of third-down success, limited rushing volume, and two interceptions prevented them from building offensive momentum.
The Carolina Panthers vs San Francisco 49ers matchup ultimately showed that creating turnovers does not guarantee victory. San Francisco made more efficient use of its possessions, controlled the clock, and produced the game’s best individual performance through McCaffrey.
Final thoughts
The final score of 49ers 20, Panthers 9 reflected San Francisco’s stronger rushing attack and superior possession control. Purdy struggled with three first-half interceptions, but the 49ers responded through McCaffrey, Kittle, Jennings, Brown, and a disciplined defensive effort.
For Carolina, Horn, Jackson, Barnes, Dowdle, and McMillan produced encouraging moments. Nevertheless, the offense needed more sustained drives and better execution after takeaways.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Carolina Panthers vs 49ers game?
The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Carolina Panthers 20–9. San Francisco controlled possession, ran the ball effectively, and protected its lead despite committing three turnovers.
Who recorded the best player stats?
Christian McCaffrey produced the strongest overall performance. He recorded 89 rushing yards, 53 receiving yards, one touchdown, and 142 total yards from scrimmage.
How did Bryce Young perform?
Bryce Young completed 18 of 29 passes for 169 yards. He threw one touchdown and two interceptions while facing steady pressure from the 49ers’ defense.
Who led the game in receiving yards?
George Kittle led all players with 78 receiving yards on six catches. His ability to find space helped San Francisco sustain several important drives.
What was the biggest turning point?
Carolina intercepted Brock Purdy three times in the first half but scored only three points from those opportunities. The Panthers’ failure to capitalize allowed San Francisco to remain in control.
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