Re-imaging Mac Jones
Be honest, in April of 2021, you did not want the San Francisco 49ers to draft Mac Jones. When the news broke that the 49ers had traded up with the Miami Dolphins to the third pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, giving up three future first round picks and a fourth round pick, the excitement among the faithful was at a fever pitch. That excitement would almost instantly turn to anxiety as draft rumors would begin to swirl.
Shortly after news of the trade broke, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the 49ers had made the move to select a quarterback to replace oft-injured Jimmy Garoppolo. With a draft class that was loaded at the quarterback position, Schefter claimed that Kyle Shanahan’s preference was to select Alabama quarterback Mac Jones. Through the pre-draft process and infinite mock drafts, Jones had not been viewed as a top five pick, fueling 49ers social media to explode with anti-Mac Jones slander and discourse.
With the rumors that Shanahan coveted Jones, the draft would come and go, and the 49ers would select Trey Lance from North Dakota State, with Jones sliding to the New England Patriots at the 15th pick.
Flash forward to the spring of 2025. Lance had been traded to Dallas and was signing as a free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers, and Jones was also a free agent after having been traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars after three seasons with the Patriots. The connection was immediately made, and the 49ers signed Jones to a two-year deal to back up franchise quarterback Brock Purdy and be another quarterback in a line of Kyle Shanahan rehabilitation projects.
In his rookie year with New England, Jones led the Patriots to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth while throwing for 3,801 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Jones would earn a Pro Bowl appearance for his performance in 2021, but his rookie campaign would be the peak of his Patriots tenure. In both of his next two seasons with the Patriots, he would fail to surpass the 3,000 yard mark in passing, and would only win eight total games. After a leadership change, Jones would be traded to his hometown of Jacksonville to back up fellow 2021 draftee Trevor Lawrence.
Jones’ signing with the 49ers was quickly announced once the free agency period opened up, signaling that San Francisco was his preferred destination. With a two-year contract in hand, the 49ers had secured a veteran back up for Purdy, with the thought that Jones could learn behind him, and much like Sam Darnold before him, parlay his Shanahan teachings into a possible starting job down the road. That ideology would soon change. A day after the 49ers opening day win at Seattle, it was announced that Purdy had sustained injuries to his shoulder and toe that would force him to miss time, thrusting Jones into the starting role.
In his three starts, Jones has gone unbeaten, throwing for 905 yards with six touchdowns and one interception. More importantly, Jones has shown command of the offense while playing with a depleted receiving corps, while still finding ways to shine in the biggest moments. Two of his three starts have come against divisional opponents in the Cardinals and Rams, with both coming down to the last possession. In both, Jones was visibly hampered with a knee injury and cramping, yet still showed grit in leading the team to what would become game winning drives.
In April of 2021, Mac Jones was the prospect that no 49ers wanted to see selected. Four years later, Jones is becoming a folk hero of sorts for his performance and the toughness he has shown in his limited action so far. While Brock Purdy is the clear starter when he returns from injury, Jones’ performance has certainly inspired hope and trust among the Faithful that the 49ers can remain in contention for the duration of Purdy’s absence to still make a run at winning the NFC West.