Eddy Pineiro’s final play lifts 49ers to a win over Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddy Pineiro (#18) center celebrates after kicking a 35-yard game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter of their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. San Francisco 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 16-15. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
09.21.25 – QB Mac Jones calmly moved San Francisco down the field in the closing minutes of the game to set up Kicker Eddy Pineiro’s 35-yard field goal on the final play that gave the 49ers a 16-15 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
The 49ers had lost another star to an injury, given up a fourth-quarter lead on a safety and were relying on a backup quarterback and a brand new kicker to maintain their perfect start to the season. Jones and Pineiro delivered.
“I failed a lot in that situation, to be honest, in the NFL,” said Jones, who was just 3-17 in his career in comeback chances before this win. “I just knew the guys had my back and like we talked about on the sidelines, go out there and rip it.”
Jones did just that and San Francisco (3-0) was able to overcome an injury to Nick Bosa and the absence of starting quarterback Brock Purdy to get the win.
Rookie Upton Stout broke up a pass to Zay Jones on third down after the safety to force a punt by Arizona (2-1) and give the 49ers offense an opportunity.
“That was it right there,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “We knew that if we didn’t get off the field on that drive that the game would probably pretty much be sealed. Upton Stout came up with a huge, big-time play there to give our offense a chance.”
2025.09.21 (Cardinals vs. 49ers) Game Highlights
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones completed 5 of 8 passes during the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter in a 16-15 win Sunday over the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
2025.09.21 (Cardinals vs. 49ers) Game Highlights
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (NBC Sports Post Game)
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (NBC Sports Post Game)
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (NBC Sports Post Game)
San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey (23) runs against Arizona Cardinals’ Mack Wilson Sr. (2) in the third quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (NBC Sports Post Game)
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (NBC Sports Post Game)
Jones took over at his 20 with 1:46 to play and completed five passes for 59 yards to get the Niners in position for the winning kick. Pineiro, who was signed after Jake Moody missed two field goals in the opener, calmly delivered to set off a celebration.
The Cardinals had taken the lead when Calais Campbell forced a holding penalty in the end zone by Dominick Puni for the first tie-breaking safety in the fourth quarter in nearly 11 years, but couldn’t close it out.
“Having the lead at the end of the game is always what you want,” Campbell said. “In this business, everything comes down to that last drive. We’ve got to find a way to get off the field there.”
After both teams were held to just a pair of field goals in the first three quarters, they traded 1-yard TD passes in the fourth with Jones giving San Francisco the lead with his pass to Kyle Juszczyk and Kyler Murray tying it at 13 with 8:37 to play with a TD pass to Trey McBride.
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (49ers +/- K&M Post Game)
San Francisco 49ers’ Nick Bosa (97) tries to stop Arizona Cardinals’ James Connor (6) in 1st quarter during NFL game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Sunday, September 21, 2025. Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (49ers +/- K&M Post Game)
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (49ers +/- K&M Post Game)
Both teams missed good chances to get in the end zone in the third quarter. Emari Demercado dropped a third-down pass near the goal line, forcing Arizona to settle for a field goal that tied it at 6.
The 49ers responded and drove down the field, but Christian McCaffrey got stopped for no gain on third down from the 1 and Jones’ pass to McCaffrey on fourth down was broken up by Mack Wilson.
But ultimately that wasn’t enough for the Cardinals.
“The defense did enough for us to win the game and we didn’t finish the job,” Murray said. “Myself included, we just have to be better. When you’re playing better teams, playing better opponents, you can’t afford to let those happen.”
Bosa suffered serious knee injury
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said initial testing didn’t confirm an ACL tear, but he acknowledged that it couldn’t be ruled out. The Niners are waiting for the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year to undergo an MRI to determine the extent of his injury.
As Bosa walked to the medical tent after he was hurt late in the first quarter, he gave a thumbs-down gesture as he looked in the stands.
“There is concern because of how (Bosa) feels,” Shanahan said. “They did (an ACL) test on the sideline. They usually say whether he definitely did (have an ACL tear) or not and they didn’t say that. But we are concerned with that. And are keeping our fingers crossed.”
All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams said Bosa’s injury put a damper on a win.
Bosa was injured when he appeared to bend awkwardly on a third-down pass rush as he was being blocked by left tackle Kelvin Beachum. After reaching the sideline, Bosa was flat on his back while members of the medical and training staff surrounded him. After spending several minutes in the tent, Bosa walked slowly to the locker room with a trainer.
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (Richard Sherman NFL WK 3 Post Game)
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) left makes a pass during the fourth quarter Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (Richard Sherman NFL WK 3 Post Game)
2025.09.21 – Cardinals vs. 49ers (Richard Sherman NFL WK 3 Post Game)
“Any time you lose a guy like Nick, if he doesn’t come back and his status is unknown, it’s a real buzzkill,” Williams said. “I can honestly say that going to win the game, driving to win the game, I thought about Nick plenty of times when I’m in the huddle. So I’m just hoping and praying that we get some good news. It’s cliche to say it’s a next-man-up league. When you lose a guy like that, you need three or four guys to come and fill those shoes.”
Injuries
Cardinals: Running back James Conner was carted off the field in the third quarter with what looked like a significant ankle injury. Coach Jonathan Gannon had no update on the severity of the injury.
49ers: Bosa left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and didn’t return. Coach Shanahan said initial tests did not show a torn ACL, but the team needed to wait for more tests to be sure and learn the severity.
“We are concerned with that and keeping our fingers crossed for the MRI,” Shanahan said.
Up next
Cardinals: Host Seattle on Thursday night.
49ers: Host Jacksonville on Sunday.
Related: 49ers top Saints as Mac Jones shines in relief of Purdy
Related: See below – 49ers rally to beat Lions and secure Super Bowl trip
Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL
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