San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir has emerged as a standout in the secondary. Remarkably, it has been over a year since Lenoir allowed a touchdown during the regular season. Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus noted that the last time Lenoir surrendered a score in coverage was on December 3, 2023, against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Lenoir did allow a touchdown in last season's NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions, the team San Francisco will host on Monday night.
Lenoir has played 479 coverage snaps this season without allowing a touchdown pass. Through 14 game appearances, he has amassed 76 tackles, two interceptions, and nine passes defensed.
Opposing quarterbacks have struggled while targeting Lenoir, posting a passer rating of just 70.6. The cornerback has also earned a Pro Football Focus coverage grade of at least 74.2 in each of the past two seasons, further solidifying his reputation as a reliable defender.
In November, the 49ers rewarded Lenoir with a five-year contract extension, keeping him with the team through the 2029 season.
"He has the confidence to guard anybody," head coach Kyle Shanahan said in November. "I remember with Mooney (Charvarius Ward) being out, he's texting me all the way up to the Thursday game (Week 6), asking if he can follow DK [Metcalf] around, sending me videos of every time he's guarded him.
"He's just a guy who wants every challenge, who loves playing football."
Following Monday night's matchup against the Lions, the 49ers will wrap up their season on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. As they head into the offseason, they can be confident knowing they have a rising defensive star secured for the long term.