The San Francisco 49ers reportedly had a deal in place to bring back Jauan Jennings, but the veteran receiver wasn’t interested in leaving the Minnesota Vikings for his old team.
Jay Glazer revealed the news on FOX Sports on Nov. 1 that San Francisco and Minnesota had agreed on trade terms to send Jennings back to the 49ers. The catch was that Jennings had to sign off during a FaceTime call with Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch. That never happened, though.
“He said, ‘Actually, no, I want to stay here in Minnesota,'" Glazer added.
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Jennings spent his first five NFL seasons with the 49ers after being a seventh-round pick
in 2020. He caught 77 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns in 2024 and 55 receptions for 643 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025. He joined the Vikings on a one-year deal this season, where he has four catches on eight targets for 43 yards in five games with the Vikings.
Jennings' connection to San Francisco and the team's need for receiver help has ignited trade speculation all year. The 49ers reportedly have also been “sniffing around for wide receiver help,” according to The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones, ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline. Mike Evans (Achilles tendinitis), Deebo Samuel (hamstring), Demarcus Robinson (ankle) and De’Zhaun Stribling (ankle) are all due back at various points after the Week 8 bye, leaving a shallow receiver room for quarterback Brock Purdy.
Jennings could have fixed that, but it sounds like he's content playing for the undefeated Vikings. Perhaps he wants a shot at his old team in the postseason if both teams face off in the playoffs.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Former 49ers WR rejected trade back to team
