The San Francisco 49ers remain undefeated after holding off the Washington Commanders 23-17 on "Monday Night Football" at Levi's® Stadium.
San Francisco jumped out to a 20-3 halftime lead before Washington rallied to make it a one-score game in the fourth quarter. The 49ers defense came up with several key stops, including a fourth-down pass breakup by safety Malik Mustapha and a game-ending sack by defensive linemen Romello Height and Keion White.
The victory improves San Francisco to 6-0 and gives the 49ers their 56th "Monday Night Football" win, breaking their tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most in NFL history.
Here are six takeaways from the 49ers Week 6 victory.
1. "Heat-Seeking Missile" Malik Mustapha Delivers
With the 49ers holding onto a six-point lead late in the fourth quarter, Mustapha delivered one of the biggest defensive plays of the night.
Facing fourth-and-three from the San Francisco 17-yard line with two minutes remaining, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels looked to find his wide receiver Treylon Burks in the end zone. Mustapha climbed up the ladder with Burks and broke up the pass to give the ball back to the 49ers.
Mustapha also stuffed Commanders running back on the previous play, setting up the opportunity.
The safety has earned the nickname "heat-seeking missile" for his physical style of play, something tight end George Kittle echoed after the game.
"Built like a missile and hits like one," TE George Kittle said.
Warner also praised Mustapha's game-changing play late in the game
"Yeah, he's unbelievable," Warner said. "The play he had to get us off the field in coverage... He's a great player. Happy he's on our side."
2. McCaffrey Finds the End Zone Twice
Running back Christian McCaffrey helped the 49ers build an early lead with two first-half rushing touchdowns.
McCaffrey scored from one yard out in the first quarter, then punched in another one-yard touchdown with seconds remaining in the half.
The running back finished the night with 64 rushing yards on 16 carries and nine receptions for 53 yards, totaling 117 yards from scrimmage.
His two touchdowns, along with TE George Kittle opening 11-yard score helped San Francisco take a 20-3 lead into halftime.
3. Dugger Steps Up for the Defense
Rookie linebacker Jaden Dugger stepped into a bigger role and made his presence felt throughout Monday night's matchup.
Dugger led the 49ers with 11 tackles, helping anchor a defensive unit that held Washington to just 53 rushing yards.
The rookie was involved in several key stops, including a tackle for loss alongside defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez in the third quarter.
Dugger's performance was another example of San Francisco's depth as players continue to step up when their number is called.
4. Williams Records First Sack of the Season
Defensive lineman Mykel Williams made his mark in just his second game back from injury, recording his first sack of the 2026 season.
On third-and-eight early in the third quarter, Williams brought down Daniels for a 12-yard loss, forcing Washington to punt.
The sack marked another step forward for Williams as he works his way back into the defensive line rotation following his ACL injury last season.
"It's huge," Shanahan said on Mykel's return. "Just him being able to string two games in a row, get him back, it's been a long recovery for him and I'm just really happy that he's back."
5. Defensive Line Closes Out the Win With a Walk-Off Sack
The 49ers defense saved one final play for the closing seconds of "Monday Night Football."
With six seconds remaining and Washington facing third-and-22, defensive linemen Romello Height and Keion White combined to sack quarterback Jayden Daniels for an 18-yard loss as time ran out, sealing San Francisco's 23-17 victory.
The sack was one of four recorded by the 49ers defense line on the night, with Osa Odighizuwa, Gracen Halton, and Mykel Williams also getting to Daniels.
6. By the Numbers: More Milestones on Monday Night
- 1,000 career tackles: Linebacker Fred Warner reached the milestone during Monday night's matchup, adding another achievement to his career.
- 105.6 career passer rating: Quarterback Brock Purdy reached 1,500 career pass attempts required for the NFL's all-time passer rating leaderboard, which now puts his 105.6 career passer rating as the highest in NFL history.
- 94 receiving yards: Wide receiver Mike Evans led the 49ers in receiving yards despite leaving the game before halftime. He caught three passes, including a 54-yard gain in the first quarter.
- 390 total yards: The 49ers offense finished with 264 passing yards and 126 rushing yards.
Up Next
The 49ers will hit the road in Week 7 to take on the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, October 25, at 10:00 a.m. PT.
