Progress is not often linear in the NFL, and few players on the 49ers have embodied that reality more than Ji’Ayir Brown in recent years.
With three interceptions, including an outstanding pick of Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl 58, in his first seven games across the regular season and playoffs after being promoted to the starting lineup in place of the injured Talanoa Hufanga in his rookie year of 2023, Brown appeared set to quickly establish himself as a reliable and impactful starter in the 49er secondary.
But it was not that straightforward for the third-rounder, who was the 49ers’ top pick in 2023, as he endured a step back in 2024 and was in and out of the lineup amid Hufanga’s return and the emergence of Malik Mustapha.
A consistent target of external criticism, scrutiny of Brown’s play has continued this season as he has produced some inconsistent play.
But, in the 49ers’ key Monday Night Football showdown with the Carolina Panthers, Brown was a standout as he proved crucial to San Francisco improving to 8-4.
Brown brings his best
On a night that saw the offense hamstrung by its own quarterback with Brock Purdy throwing three interceptions, Brown was a key contributor to the 49ers’ best defensive performance of the season, picking off two Bryce Young passes as the Panthers were restricted to just nine points.
Brown saved a touchdown when he dropped to the back of the endzone to intercept a Young throw intended for tight end Mitchell Evans, preventing the Panthers from cashing in on an instant redzone trip after Purdy’s first pick.
It was an extremely savvy play from Brown, who initially appeared to be guarding against a run from Young as he rolled to his right, one representative of the instincts that were apparent on his college tape and in his rookie year.
He followed that up with a more straightforward interception on the Panthers’ penultimate drive of the game, snagging a Young throw over the middle with the aid of an apparent hold by Renardo Green on Tetairoa McMillan that went unnoticed by the officials.
Despite the criticism, Brown has been a regular feature in the lineup from Week 6 onwards having initially had to play second fiddle to rookie Marques Sigle and Jason Pinnock. His critical contributions to the win over Carolina served as the ideal way to vindicate his place on the defense, and naturally were the subject of widespread praise.
“He was awesome,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Brown. “We’ll see more on the tape, but it felt like it was his best game as a Niner. Think he’s been playing at a high level here for a while, but those two picks were huge and looked like he made a number of good tackles too.”
Tight end George Kittle added:
“The thing I love about Tig is he works really hard every single day and I respect the hell out of him for that. We all have had down days. He’s had days where fans aren’t really happy with him and then he just shows up every single day and works really, really hard. If he doesn’t have those two interceptions then hey, that’s a touchdown or it’s a completion somewhere else and it’s a completely different game.”
While the interceptions represented tangible reward for Brown’s hard work, the more granular season-long numbers also point to a year-three jump for the former Penn State defender, who has given up just 7.3 yards per reception this season, per Pro Football Focus, tied for eighth among safeties with at least 100 coverage snaps.
As a run defender, Brown is tied for eighth at his position (min. 1o0 run defense snaps) in average depth of tackle (4.6 yards), reflecting his prowess in playing downhill, while he has three hurries on the eight snaps on which he has been used as a pass rusher.
Brown’s role in the locker room
Brown has the ability to consistently impact both pass and run defense and has the versatility to play at all three levels and cover pass-catchers from the slot.
Consistency is what Brown has lacked in his still relatively brief NFL career. He can be maddeningly up and down as a tackler and remains susceptible to the big play — though that does come with the territory when frequently operating as the last line of defense. However, his showing on Monday Night Football was that of a player for whom it all appears to be falling into place in the third year of a journey in the pros that has already seen a significant amount of ups and downs.
Brown’s spot as a starting safety should be very secure after his standout display, and it’s clear from the words of praise from cornerback Deommodore Lenoir that he is also playing a key role in the locker room.
“Oh yeah, that was a big statement,” Lenoir said. “Tig has been playing great. Today the ball was coming his way and he was making plays. He’s a blessing to have for this team and for the defensive backs room. He’s a true leader too.”
On an extremely young defense missing two cornerstones in Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, the value of that leadership cannot be understated.
A lot can change in a short time in the NFL, and Brown has to maintain the standard he displayed against Carolina across the final five games of the season. Yet, in the wake, of his superb primetime performance, Brown can afford to be confident of the 2025 season marking his breakout campaign. Should he continue to shine on and off the field, the 49ers will have reason to try to ensure a player who will enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2026 continues his story in the Bay Area beyond next season.
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