I’ve coached wide receivers at the high school level for the majority of my coaching career. One thing that has always been emphasized is the mentality of “no block, no rock.” For San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings, this approach to the game has landed him a new two-year contract this offseason.

Jennings has taken his blocking to an entirely different level last season and was a key component in the 49ers’ Championship run. While he may not get all of the spot light due to the other star receivers on the roster, he certainly is a vital role for the offense and their production.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan, his coaching staff, along with Jennings’ teammates have really bought in to his team approach and how he lays it on the line every single snap. For Jennings, he is just doing his job at his position, but from the outside looking in, he is doing his job at an extremely high level for a role player, and deservingly has signed a new two-year $15.4 million contract just last week.

Being a Pittsburgh Steelers fan last season had highs and lows, but one thing that stood out was the lack of quality blocking from the receiving corps. This offseason, prior to the Jennings extension, Steelers fans really were big on bringing Jennings to the Steel City; I know that I certainly was. Any time you have a wide receiver who embodies the hard work that goes into playing professional football, it is a great sight to see. He is a top tier blocking athlete in the NFL and will be for many years to come.

If you have not witnessed Jennings and his blocking mentality, here is a clip that shows you why he received a worthy contract extension.

Jauan Jennings is a menace 😳 pic.twitter.com/LD1XwTydRJ

— NFL (@NFL) January 24, 2024

Blocking until the whistle is blown seems simple and is taught in middle and high school; however, in the NFL it is not often that we see this.

Jennings’ behavior and actions on the football field is a breath of fresh air for football fans, especially coaches like myself. It is very hard not to root for someone of his caliber and I am glad he got the contract extension that he so deserves.