The Return of Mac: Has the 49ers’ Backup Stolen the Show?
October 6, 2025
The 49ers Mac Jones filled in once again for the injured Brock Purdy Thursday Night and impressed many with his gutsy performance. Not only was he able to distribute the ball effectively but he was doing so without any of the big play makers outside of Christian McCaffrey. Remove the name Mac Jones from the situation because I think it comes with somewhat of a negative view in 2025. What would you think of the quarterback who threw for nearly 350 yards and 2 touchdowns on the road to beat the Rams in their house? This quarterback fed Kendrick Bourne, Jake Tonges and Demarcus Robinson in the huge divisional win to improve his own personal record to 3-0 as the starter. Surely, only a top five, maybe top seven quarterback is capable of this feat, right?
The answer is no. The answer is the guy that Shanahan was so frequently linked to back in the 2021 NFL draft cycle. Of course, the 49ers famously selected Trey Lance (who now backs up Justin Herbert) and Jones has since bounced around from Jacksonville to San Fran after flopping in New England.
San Francisco has a potential issue on their hands. So much was made about Brock Purdy and his abilities, or lack thereof, and that he was not worth the high price tag that he eventually received. The success of Mac Jones in the wake of the Purdy injury dilemma cannot be ignored if he keeps racking up wins with this weakened supporting cast. Technically, it could, if Brock were to step in and continue the winning. However, he already stepped back in during week 3 and lost to the Jaguars.
Fans will certainly be interested to see how this plays out moving forward. As of now, Brock Purdy could potentially miss week 6 as well with the turf toe injury. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where San Fran benches their $265 million dollar man, but a big performance from Jones against the Bucs next week will officially start making things loud.
Keith, Author
Keith runs youth flag football leagues by day, and by night he hosts the podcast and writes articles with the confidence of a man who’s been rushing quarterbacks since dial-up. A longtime flag football DE and lifelong Falcons fan, he’s no stranger to heartbreak and enjoys watching the bears get slaughtered each week. Equal parts coach, critic, and chaos, Keith calls it like he sees it… even if it hurts.
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