A Defensive Stand in Santa Clara
The San Francisco 49ers entered their preseason finale at Levi's Stadium with high hopes, but a disciplined Tennessee defense and clutch kicking from Joey Slye proved too much to overcome. The Titans secured a 19-13 victory on Friday, August 14, 2026, leaving the home crowd of 68,418 with a record of 0-1 for the preseason, while Tennessee improved to 1-0.
Slye’s Booting Secures the Win
The game remained tight through three quarters, but Joey Slye emerged as the decisive factor. He kicked four field goals for Tennessee, including a career-long 58-yarder in the fourth quarter that sealed the outcome. His kick stretched the lead to 19-10 late in the final period, effectively ending any hope of a 49ers comeback.
The scoring began early for Tennessee when Tony Pollard punched it in from five yards out in the first quarter, giving the visitors a 7-0 advantage. San Francisco responded in the second quarter with Patrick Taylor Jr. powering in from one yard out to tie the game at 7-7.
However, the Titans’ offense struggled to find rhythm, failing to score again until Slye began drilling field goals.
Slye added two more kicks before halftime, extending Tennessee’s lead to 13-7. The second half saw Eddy Pineiro answer for San Francisco with a 52-yard field goal in the third quarter, making it 13-10. Slye immediately responded with a 53-yarder to push the margin back to six.
A final 41-yard kick by Pineiro made the score 19-13, but the Titans held firm until the final whistle.