This is a completed-match recap, not a preview. The New England Patriots and the San Francisco 49ers last met on Sunday, 29 September 2024, in Week 4 of the NFL season, and the 49ers won 30–13 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. San Francisco led 20–3 at half-time and never let New England back in. Brock Purdy threw for 288 yards, Jordan Mason ran for 123 yards and a touchdown, and Fred Warner’s 45-yard interception return broke the game open. The teams are not scheduled to meet again until the 2028 season, when the 49ers visit New England, so the 2024 game remains the latest chapter in a rivalry the 49ers lead 10–5 all time.
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Latest result | 49ers 30, Patriots 13 — 29 September 2024, Week 4, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara |
| 49ers stars | Jordan Mason (24 carries, 123 yards, 1 TD), Brock Purdy (15/27, 288 yards, 1 TD), Fred Warner (45-yard pick-six) |
| Patriots stars | Joey Slye kicked field goals of 63 and 54 yards; Jacoby Brissett threw their only touchdown, a 5-yard pass to Austin Hooper |
| What decided it | Sacks (San Francisco recorded six), the run game (148–73) and turnovers — New England gave the ball away three times |
| Last five meetings | 2008: Patriots 30–21; 2012: 49ers 41–34; 2016: Patriots 30–17; 2020: 49ers 33–6; 2024: 49ers 30–13 (49ers 3 wins, Patriots 2) |
| All-time series | 49ers lead 10–5 across 15 regular-season meetings (no play-off meeting) |
| Next meeting | 2028 season in New England, on the NFL’s published future-opponents rotation (exact date to be confirmed) |
Table of Contents
- The Latest Game at a Glance: 29 September 2024
- How the 2024 Game Unfolded, Quarter by Quarter
- Quarterbacks in 2024: Purdy’s Efficiency Against Brissett’s Pressure
- Rushing and Receiving in 2024
- Defence and Turning Points in 2024
- Team Numbers That Explain the 2024 Result
- 25 October 2020: The 49ers’ 33–6 Blowout in Foxborough
- 20 November 2016: Brady’s Bay Area Homecoming
- 16 December 2012: The Comeback That Fell One Play Short
- 5 October 2008: Cassel and the Patriots Fight Back
- Who Played Best in Each Game?
- How to Read the Player Stats
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
The Latest Game at a Glance: 29 September 2024
Both teams arrived at Levi’s Stadium with 1–2 records, each badly needing a win. The 49ers had lost their previous two games, at Minnesota and against the Los Angeles Rams, and were carrying a long injury list. The Patriots had managed just one win from three and were struggling to generate any passing attack. What followed moved San Francisco to 2–2 and dropped New England to 1–3.
| Quarter | Patriots | 49ers |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0 | 6 |
| 2nd | 3 | 14 |
| 3rd | 7 | 7 |
| 4th | 3 | 3 |
| Final | 13 | 30 |
The headline numbers tell a clear story. San Francisco outgained New England 431 yards to 216, nearly doubling the Patriots’ total. The 49ers ran for 148 yards to the Patriots’ 73, held the ball for 31:35 against 28:25, and converted 7 of 13 third downs while New England managed 5 of 16. New England’s brightest moments came from kicker Joey Slye, who hit field goals of 63 and 54 yards, the longer as the first half expired.
How the 2024 Game Unfolded, Quarter by Quarter
San Francisco took control early and never trailed. Kicker Jake Moody opened the scoring with field goals of 22 and 26 yards on the 49ers’ first two drives, making it 6–0 by the end of the first quarter. The decisive moment came in the first minute of the second quarter: linebacker Fred Warner dived to intercept Jacoby Brissett and returned the ball 45 yards for a touchdown, his second career touchdown, making it 13–0. The 49ers extended the lead before half-time when Brock Purdy threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle, and Slye’s remarkable 63-yard field goal as the half ended only cut the gap to 20–3.
New England showed brief life after the break. Brissett threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Austin Hooper early in the third quarter, making it 20–10. San Francisco answered immediately: Jordan Mason scored on a 4-yard run to restore the 17-point margin at 27–10. Slye added a 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and Moody finished the scoring with a 41-yard kick for 30–13 — a perfect kicking day on both sides in a game otherwise dominated by one team’s defence.
Quarterbacks in 2024: Purdy’s Efficiency Against Brissett’s Pressure
The quarterback comparison is the simplest summary of the game. Brock Purdy attempted fewer passes than Jacoby Brissett but gained far more yards from them, while Brissett spent the afternoon under pressure that eventually broke New England’s offence.
| Player | Team | Completions / attempts | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Purdy | 49ers | 15 / 27 | 288 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jacoby Brissett | Patriots | 19 / 32 | 168 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Purdy averaged 10.7 yards per attempt; Brissett averaged 5.2. Purdy’s afternoon was built on deep connections: a 53-yard pass to Deebo Samuel, a 45-yard pass to Jauan Jennings and a 38-yard pass to Brandon Aiyuk. He also picked up two important first downs on the ground early in the game. Brissett, by contrast, was sacked six times for 25 yards lost, dragging New England’s net passing total down to 143 yards (the 49ers’ net figure was 283). His interception — the one Warner returned for a touchdown — was New England’s first of the season, but the most damaging kind: a defensive touchdown that turned a manageable deficit into a two-score game.
Rushing and Receiving in 2024
Jordan Mason was the best offensive player on the field. With San Francisco’s usual lead back unavailable, Mason carried 24 times for 123 yards and a touchdown — 5.1 yards per carry — his third 100-yard rushing game in four weeks. He also caught two passes for 37 yards. New England’s run game never got going: Rhamondre Stevenson managed 43 yards on 13 carries, and Antonio Gibson added 12 yards on six carries, though Gibson contributed more as a receiver.
| Player | Team | Rushing | Receiving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Mason | 49ers | 24 carries, 123 yards, 1 TD | 2 catches, 37 yards |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | Patriots | 13 carries, 43 yards | 4 catches, 19 yards |
| Antonio Gibson | Patriots | 6 carries, 12 yards | 3 catches, 67 yards |
The receiving leaders show how differently the two passing games worked. Jauan Jennings led all receivers with 88 yards on just three catches — his second straight game leading San Francisco in receiving yards — while Gibson’s 67 yards on three catches included a 50-yard reception, New England’s longest play through the air. The full receiving lines from the published box score were:
| Player | Team | Catches | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jauan Jennings | 49ers | 3 | 88 | 0 |
| Antonio Gibson | Patriots | 3 | 67 | 0 |
| Deebo Samuel Sr. | 49ers | 3 | 58 | 0 |
| Brandon Aiyuk | 49ers | 2 | 48 | 0 |
| George Kittle | 49ers | 4 | 45 | 1 |
| Ja’Lynn Polk | Patriots | 3 | 30 | 0 |
| Austin Hooper | Patriots | 2 | 13 | 1 |
Kittle caught all four passes thrown to him, one for the touchdown that made it 20–0, while Hooper’s two catches included New England’s only touchdown. San Francisco’s yards came in large, efficient chunks; New England’s came in small pieces that never added up to sustained drives.
Defence and Turning Points in 2024
San Francisco’s defence was the main reason for the win. Six sacks of Brissett destroyed New England’s rhythm, and the sack breakdown as published in the box-score summary was: Kevin Givens 2.5 sacks, Maliek Collins 1.5, and Nick Bosa and Evan Anderson one each (reported — the six-sack team total itself is confirmed by multiple game reports). Warner’s interception return was the single biggest play of the game, and safety Jabrill Peppers’ interception of Purdy in the end zone in the fourth quarter was New England’s only takeaway of note — by then, the result was decided. Deatrich Wise Jr. recorded New England’s sack, and McMillan and Gonzalez each made six solo tackles.
Three turning points decided the game. First, Moody’s two early field goals settled the home crowd. Second, Warner’s pick-six turned 6–0 into 13–0 and forced New England to chase from the second quarter onward. Third, Mason’s third-quarter touchdown answered New England’s only touchdown within minutes, snuffing out the brief comeback before it could build momentum.
Team Numbers That Explain the 2024 Result
| Stat | Patriots | 49ers |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 216 | 431 |
| First downs | 12 | 19 |
| Rushing yards | 73 | 148 |
| Net passing yards | 143 | 283 |
| Turnovers (fumbles lost + interceptions) | 3 | 2 |
| Third-down conversions | 5 of 16 | 7 of 13 |
| Time of possession | 28:25 | 31:35 |
| Sacks (sacks–yards lost) | 1–5 | 6–25 |
Note what the table does not show: San Francisco committed more penalties and for more yards, yet still won by 17 points. Penalties only matter when the game is close; here, the gaps in yardage, third downs and quarterback protection were too large for penalties to change the outcome.
For another game broken down player by player, see our Titans vs Bills player stats breakdown.
25 October 2020: The 49ers’ 33–6 Blowout in Foxborough
The previous meeting was even more one-sided. On 25 October 2020, the 49ers travelled to Gillette Stadium and beat the Patriots 33–6, leading 23–3 at half-time, in a season played without fans — New England’s worst home defeat under head coach Bill Belichick. Running back Jeff Wilson Jr. rushed for a career-high three touchdowns and 112 yards on 17 carries before leaving with an ankle injury; his scoring runs of 3, 16 and 7 yards, plus a 4-yard touchdown run by fullback Kyle Juszczyk, built a lead New England never threatened.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, facing the team that had traded him to San Francisco in 2017, completed 20 of 25 passes for 277 yards with two interceptions in his first game against his former club. Brandon Aiyuk caught six passes for 115 yards, and Deebo Samuel added five for 65 yards before leaving with a hamstring injury. For New England, Cam Newton completed 9 of 15 passes for 98 yards and three interceptions before being replaced by Jarrett Stidham (6 of 10 for 64 yards and an interception). San Francisco outgained New England 467 yards to 241.
20 November 2016: Brady’s Bay Area Homecoming
Four years earlier, the roles were reversed. On 20 November 2016, Tom Brady played his first ever road game against the 49ers in the Bay Area — he had missed New England’s 2008 trip with injury — and delivered a masterclass in front of a large travelling Patriots crowd at Levi’s Stadium. The Patriots won 30–17. Brady completed 24 of 40 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions, as the Patriots’ own game notes confirmed. His touchdown passes went to four different players: Julian Edelman, James White (9 yards), Danny Amendola (5 yards) and rookie Malcolm Mitchell, whose 56-yard catch-and-run sealed the game.
Mitchell finished with four catches for 98 yards, including that first career touchdown; Edelman caught eight passes for 77 yards on 17 targets; and White caught all six passes thrown to him for 63 yards and a touchdown. LeGarrette Blount powered the run game with 124 yards on 19 carries (6.5 per carry), including a 44-yard run. For San Francisco, Colin Kaepernick completed 16 of 30 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns — an 18-yard touchdown to Vance McDonald and a late 13-yard touchdown to Shaun Draughn — while Carlos Hyde ran for 86 yards. The problem was protection: Kaepernick was sacked five times, once each by Hightower, Chung, Ninkovich, Van Noy and Butler. New England led only 13–10 at half-time, then scored 17 fourth-quarter points to pull away.
16 December 2012: The Comeback That Fell One Play Short
The most dramatic game in the series came on a rainy Sunday night at Gillette Stadium on 16 December 2012. San Francisco led 31–3 in the third quarter. New England then scored 28 unanswered points to tie it at 31–31 with 6:43 remaining. Eighteen seconds later, the 49ers were back in front — and they held on to win 41–34, clinching a play-off place.
| Player | Team | Completions / attempts | Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Brady | Patriots | 36 / 65 | 443 | 1 | 2 |
| Colin Kaepernick | 49ers | 14 / 25 | 216 | 4 | 1 |
Brady threw 65 passes, a career-high workload, gaining 443 yards but throwing two interceptions. Kaepernick needed only 25 throws to produce four touchdowns — efficiency against volume, and efficiency won. His touchdowns went to Michael Crabtree twice, to Randy Moss (the former Patriot, scoring against his old team) and to Delanie Walker. Crabtree finished with seven catches for 107 yards, both his touchdowns coming at decisive moments: a 27-yard score that made it 31–3, and the 38-yard score, immediately after LaMichael James’s 62-yard kickoff return, that retook the lead at 38–31 with 6:25 to play.
New England’s receiving numbers were enormous and still not enough. Brandon Lloyd caught 10 passes for 190 yards, Aaron Hernandez caught 10 for 92 yards and a touchdown, and Wes Welker added five for 56 yards. Danny Woodhead scored two rushing touchdowns in the comeback, and Brady added one on a sneak. The Patriots gained 520 yards and lost — the clearest proof that yardage alone does not win football games. San Francisco forced four turnovers, and that is why a 28-point lead survived a 28-point comeback.
5 October 2008: Cassel and the Patriots Fight Back
The earliest game in this five-game set has the most unusual context. On 5 October 2008, Tom Brady was out injured for the season, and backup Matt Cassel led the Patriots into Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The 49ers led 14–7 after the first quarter. The Patriots then scored 23 of the next 30 points to win 30–21 in front of 67,650 fans. Cassel completed 22 of 32 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions; his best throw was a 66-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss that tied the game at 7–7. Moss finished with five catches for 111 yards and that touchdown, while Wes Welker added eight catches for 73 yards.
Kevin Faulk scored both of New England’s rushing touchdowns, on two-yard runs in the second and third quarters, and Stephen Gostkowski kicked three field goals (35, 40 and 49 yards). San Francisco’s scoring came almost entirely through one connection: quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan threw three touchdown passes, all to Isaac Bruce, but also threw three interceptions.
Who Played Best in Each Game?
Picking one star per game is subjective — linemen rarely appear in headline stats but often decide games — but on the numbers, the choices are clear:
| Game | Top player | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 2024: 49ers 30–13 | Jordan Mason, 49ers | 123 rushing yards and a touchdown; Warner’s pick-six was the biggest single play |
| 2020: 49ers 33–6 | Jeff Wilson Jr., 49ers | 112 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a blowout |
| 2016: Patriots 30–17 | Tom Brady, Patriots | 280 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions in his Bay Area homecoming |
| 2012: 49ers 41–34 | Colin Kaepernick, 49ers | Four touchdown passes on 25 attempts; Brady’s 443 yards came in defeat |
| 2008: Patriots 30–21 | Randy Moss, Patriots | Five catches for 111 yards, including the steadying 66-yard touchdown |
Across all five games, the 49ers have won three and the Patriots two, including the last two meetings. Across the full history of the fixture, San Francisco leads 10–5 over 15 regular-season games, with no play-off meeting.
How to Read the Player Stats
- Completions / attempts: how many of the quarterback’s passes were caught. 19 / 32 means 19 completions from 32 attempts.
- TD / INT: touchdown (six points, plus the extra-point kick) / interception (a defender catching a pass meant for the other team).
- Sack: tackling the quarterback behind the line before he can throw; it loses yards for the offence.
- Carry: one rushing attempt. Yards per carry shows how effective a runner is on average.
- Turnover / time of possession: losing the ball through an interception or fumble / how long each team held the ball.
Fans argued over the same game in real time — the PatsFans postgame thread for Patriots @ 49ers captures the frustration over the offensive line and the debate about when Drake Maye should start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the most recent Patriots vs 49ers game?
The San Francisco 49ers won 30–13 on 29 September 2024 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Jordan Mason ran for 123 yards and a touchdown, and Fred Warner scored on a 45-yard interception return.
Who had the best passing day in a Patriots vs 49ers game?
It depends how you measure it. Tom Brady threw for the most yards, 443 in December 2012, but the Patriots lost. His best all-round day was in November 2016: 280 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in a win. Colin Kaepernick also threw four touchdown passes in 2012, on only 25 attempts.
Which team has won more recent games?
In the last five meetings, from 2008 to 2024, the 49ers won three and the Patriots won two, including the last two, in 2020 and 2024. Across all 15 meetings, the 49ers lead 10–5.
When do the Patriots and 49ers play next?
On the NFL’s published future-opponents rotation, the 49ers are due to visit the Patriots in the 2028 season; the exact date will be confirmed when that schedule is released.
Who was the best player in the 2024 game?
Jordan Mason, for 123 rushing yards and a touchdown as San Francisco’s lead back. Warner’s interception return was the game’s biggest single play, and Purdy’s 288 passing yards at 10.7 yards per attempt set the tone.
Have the Patriots and 49ers ever met in the play-offs?
No. All 15 meetings have been regular-season games, played only once every four years under the NFL’s inter-conference rotation.
Conclusion
The 2024 game was not close for long, but it was instructive. San Francisco won because it protected its quarterback, ran the ball with authority and turned one defensive play into seven points — the same three ingredients that have decided this fixture for sixteen years. Mason’s 123 yards, Purdy’s efficient 288 and Warner’s pick-six define the 30–13 result, just as Brady’s four touchdowns define 2016 and Kaepernick’s four define 2012. For Patriots fans, the consolation is history: New England has won in San Francisco before, without its starting quarterback, and the next meeting comes at home.