The San Francisco 49ers secured their first win at Levi's® Stadium of the 2026 season, defeating the Miami Dolphins 35-13 in their home opener. The Week 2 matchup marked the 17th all-time meeting between the two franchises and a rematch of Super Bowl XIX.
With the win, San Francisco improved to 2-0 for the fifth time since 2019, joining the 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 seasons.
Here are five takeaways from the 49ers Week 2 victory over the Dolphins:
1. Purdy Delivers Sharp Performance in Home Opener
Quarterback Brock Purdy delivered an efficient performance in the 49ers home opener, completing 20-of-22 passing attempts for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Purdy also made an impact with his legs, rushing three times for 30 yards and a touchdown.
Purdy's rushing score came midway through the second quarter. After scrambling for gains of 10 and 18 yards earlier in the drive, Purdy connected with wide receiver Demarcus Robinson for 19 yards to set San Francisco up at Miami's four-yard line. Two plays later, Purdy scrambled into the end zone from two yards out to give the 49ers a 14-3 lead.
The fifth-year quarterback added two touchdown passes in the third quarter, connecting with tight end George Kittle for a 12-yard score and fullback Kyle Juszczyk for a six-yard touchdown.
"He was real sharp. He was on point," head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "Got the ball to all the right spots."
Running back Christian McCaffrey also praised Purdy's command of the offense following the win.
"It's unbelievable how decisive he is, how good he is at throwing on time, and then also creating when he has to," McCaffrey said. "When he's at the helm, we feel good."
2. McCaffrey Reaches 100 Career Touchdowns
McCaffrey reached a major career milestone on Sunday, scoring twice to bring his career total to 100 touchdowns.
The running back scored the 99th touchdown of his career on San Francisco's opening possession, capping a 12-play, 59-yard drive with a one-yard rushing score. McCaffrey was also a frequent target for Purdy on the drive, catching an 11-yard pass and 16-yard pass.
McCaffrey leaped in his 100th touchdown late in the third quarter. Following Purdy's 27-yard completion to wide receiver Mike Evans that brought the offense to the one-yard line, McCaffrey punched in his second touchdown of the day.
McCaffrey finished the game with 10 carries for 23 yards and two touchdowns while adding four receptions for 43 yards.
"Christian had a hell of a day and a big accomplishment," Shanahan said.
3. Kittle Provides a Spark in the Second Half
In just his second game back from an Achilles injury, Kittle came out from halftime with fire.
On the first offensive play of the third quarter, Purdy connected with Kittle over the middle for a 40-yard gain to the Dolphins 25-yard line. Kittle shook a defender off and picked up several yards after the catch. Three plays later, the duo connected again, this time for a 12-yard touchdown to complete a four-play, 65-yard scoring drive and extend San Francisco's lead to 21-6.
"They brought a double corner blitz which opened the middle up, and George saw it and took it," Shanahan said of the 40-yard completion. "You can see how explosive he was after the catch and how hard he is to bring down."
Kittle added a 26-yard reception late in the third quarter and finished as the 49ers leading receiver with four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.
The veteran tight end also reached another career milestone on Sunday, recording his 600th-career reception.
4. 49ers Pass Rush Brought the Pressure
The 49ers defense kept the pressure on Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis throughout Sunday's matchup, bringing him down four times with contributions from across the defense.
Linebacker Fred Warner and cornerback Upton Stout combined for the 49ers first sack of the afternoon, dropping Willis for a four-yard loss in the second quarter. Defensive lineman Romello Height followed on the next play, recording a sack on Willis again and forcing Miami to settle for a field goal.
Safety Marques Sigle also added to the pressure, sacking Willis for a five-yard loss in the third quarter. Defensive lineman Keion White got in on the action and recorded the fourth and final sack in the fourth quarter, dropping Willis for a six-yard loss on third down.
Defensive lineman Nick Bosa also generated pressure throughout the day, adding to an effective 49ers pass rush.
5. 49ers Spread the Wealth on Offense
San Francisco's offense received contributions from across the roster in Sunday's win, with seven different players recording a reception.
Kittle led the group with four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown, followed by Evans with three receptions for 54 yards. McCaffrey added four catches for 43 yards, while Robinson, Juszczyk, and wide receivers Deebo Samuel Sr. and KhaDarel Hodge also contributed through the air.
Four different 49ers found the end zone against Miami. McCaffrey scored twice on the ground, Purdy added a rushing touchdown, and Kittle and Juszczyk each hauled in touchdown receptions.
Up Next
Following back-to-back wins to open the 2026 season, the 49ers will play the second game in their three-game homestand for Week 3, welcoming NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals to Levi's® Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27.
