Kyle Shanahan is a renowned quarterback whisperer, and the San Francisco 49ers turned to former first-round pick Mac Jones as his next pupil.
As the 49ers prepare to make Brock Purdy potentially one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the sport, San Francisco signed Jones to be his top backup for the upcoming season, early in free agency.
Jones, originally chosen No. 15 overall by the New England Patriots and spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars where he completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 1,672 yards with eight touchdowns to eight interceptions in relief of Trevor Lawrence.
It sure sounds like, at least in part, Jones’ decision to sign in San Francisco is a bit on his eventual second chapter as a starting quarterback.
“I feel like there’s a lot of good people here, a lot of winners here,” Jones said, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com. “So really, just wanted to surround myself with winners.
“It’s a proven system. I know Brock personally, and he’s done a great job and played really good football in the NFL. So I’ve been really watching him from afar on game film and stuff, and just want to learn from him and be a sponge. Obviously, Kyle [Shanahan] and his resume speaks for itself. He’s done a great job in the NFL, and he always produces each year, and that’s something that I want to be around.”
The 49ers’ ideal scenario is a healthy Purdy making 17-plus starts in 2025, but if Jones is pressed into action, how he performs in Kyle Shanahan’s system could determine the trajectory of his NFL future and whether he can follow in the footsteps of Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and Jared Goff with charmed second chapters as a starter.
