The 49ers Accidentally Fixed Mac Jones… and Exposed Brock Purdy

M. Jones was in San Francisco, he would be playing like Brock Birdie. That is a slap in his face. He’s not just a He’s not just a system. I think, you know, they brought me here um to play as a backup, and that’s my job. A guy who everyone rode off as a huge bust 2 years ago is now outperforming a $265 million quarterback at literally one 12th of the cost. For those of you guys that don’t know, I’m talking about M. Jones. The same Mac. Jones who got benched in New England. The same M. Jones who couldn’t win games as a backup in Jacksonville. The same M. Jones that Dan Orlovski got roasted for for defending back in 2023. Well, guess what? Dano might have been right all along. And Kyle Shanahan, he finally got his guy four years later. So, let’s rewind to April of 2021, the NFL draft. The San Francisco 49ers just traded three first round picks to move up to the third overall selection. Trevor Lawrence was going to Jacksonville. Zack Wilson was heading to the Jets at number two. Everyone, I mean everyone thought the San Francisco 49ers were about to draft M. Jones. Chris Sims, who’s literally one of Kyle Shanahan’s closest friends, was publicly confident that Jones was the pick. The rumors were swirling. Alabama’s national championship quarterback with the highest completion percentage in college football history seemed like the perfect fit for Shanahan system. But then they shocked the world and selected Trey Lance, a guy from North Dakota State who’d only played one season. Matt Jones slid all the way to Pick 15 where the Patriots would grab him. Now, here’s what people don’t know. Shanahan actually wanted M. Jones. In 2022 on the IM Athlete podcast, Shanahan finally confirmed what everyone suspected. And there was two that I really wanted. Second, um, Mac. Yeah, Mac. Jones and Trey. Those are the two guys that we were locked in on from the beginning. Think about that for a second. The 49ers mortgaged their future, giving up all those picks, and it came down to these two guys. Shanahan compared the decision to buying a house. He said with Mac, you could see what you were getting. Solid, proven, and ready to go. With Lance, it was all about the potential, the upside, the what if. So, they went with the potential. They went with Trey Lance’s arm strength, his mobility, his athleticism. In a league where Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes were taking over, it made sense. You wanted that dual threat quarterback who could do it all. And it didn’t work out, like at all. Meanwhile, M. Jones was having a completely different journey in New England. And honestly, year one was pretty damn good. Jones’s rookie season in 2021 was everything the Patriots had hoped for. He started every game, went 10 and seven, threw for 3,81 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, completed 67.6% of his passes, and even made the Pro Bowl. He became the first Patriots rookie quarterback to earn Pro Bowl honors. He led them to the playoffs for the first time since Tom Brady left. People were calling him the next great Patriots quarterback. But here’s where everything fell apart. Josh McDaniels left to become the head coach of the Raiders. And Bill Bichc and maybe his worst coaching decision ever, decided to put Matt Patricia, a defensive coach, in charge of calling plays. And Joe Judge, a special teams coach, in charge of coaching the quarterbacks. You literally can’t make this stuff up. Mac’s second season was rough. He threw five interceptions in the first three games. He got hurt. Then he got benched multiple times for Bailey Zappy. The offense was a mess. Mack looked lost and you could see him getting in his own head. There were sideline tantrums, visible frustration, the whole nine yards. The Patriots would finish 8 and N. Then came 2023 and despite the Patriots bringing in Bill O’Brien to fix the offense. Somehow everything got way worse and it was too late at this point. M. Jones threw 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 11 games. Then he got benched for good after week 12 against the Giants where he threw two picks in the first half of a 10 to7 loss. The Patriots were 2-9. It was over. In March of 2004, the Patriots traded M. Jones to Jacksonville for a sixthround pick. A sixthrounder for a guy that they had taken 15th overall just 3 years earlier. That’s how far his value had fallen. Jacksonville wasn’t much better. Max started seven games when Trevor Lawrence got hurt. He went two and five, threw eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Jaguars averaged just 15 points per game with him starting. And when the season ended, the Jags declined his fifth year option. They basically said, “Thanks, but no thanks.” At this point, M. Jones was 26 years old with a 22 to 29 career record as a starter. He’d gone from Pro Bowl rookie to journeyman backup in 3 years. The narrative was set. M. Jones was a bust, a product of Alabama’s talent, a guy who couldn’t cut it without an elite system around him. And that’s when Dan Orlovski said something that got him absolutely roasted. On October 9th, 2023, on ESPN’s Get Up, M. Jones had just been benched again by the Patriots. The Niners were 5-0 and Brock Perie looked unstoppable. That’s when Dan Orlovski drops this bombshell. If Mac Jones was in San Francisco, he would be playing like Brock Py. I actually agree. Rex Ryan lost it. No. Yes, dude. No, there’s no chance. He’d be better than he is, but if you think he’s going to play like Brock Pury, you haven’t paid attention to Brock Py. George KD called it disrespectful to Brock Pury. Shannon Sharp was calling Perty a system quarterback. The entire NFL media world was debating whether Pertie was legit or just a product of Shanahan’s offense. Orlovsky tried to clarify on Twitter saying he’s awesome in playing MVP level football. He’s changed San Francisco’s offense. This is to say that M. Jones is a much better player than what New England is allowing him to be. But the damage was already done. Everyone thought Orlovski was crazy. M. Jones like Brock Pretty, come on. Well, fast forward to October of 2025 and suddenly Orlovski is looking like a prophet. On March of 2025, M. Jones signed with the 49ers on a two-year deal worth $8.41 million with a $4.75 million guarantee. That’s an average annual value of just $4.2 million. For context, that’s weed insurance money. When Jones met with the media, someone asked if he and Shanahan had addressed what happened in the 2021 draft. You know, the whole we almost drafted you but didn’t think. M. Jones just smiled and said, “Yeah, we got into a huge fight.” No, I’m kidding. We’re cool. But, you know, whatever happened in 2021, did you ever address that before you decided to come here? Yeah, we got in a huge fight and obviously uh we were cool. Four years after Shanahan wanted to draft him, M. Jones was finally in San Francisco, but he was the backup. Perie was Mr. Irrelevant turned superstar. He was the guy. M. Jones was just there to hold a clipboard. Then week one happened. The 49ers beat Seattle, but Brock Perie hurt his toe and his shoulder. He tried to play through it, but by week two, it was clear needed time. M. Jones was getting the start against the Saints and man did he deliver. Week two against New Orleans, Mack went out there and showed everyone why Shanahan wanted him in 2021. He looked calm, he looked confident. He was making the right reads, getting the ball out quickly, hitting his receivers in stride. The 49ers won. Week three against Arizona, another win. Mack was managing the game, making smart decisions, and not trying to do too much. Just executing the offense the way Shanahan drew it up. Then came week five, Thursday Night Football. This wasn’t the New Orleans Saints anymore. This was without a doubt the 49ers biggest threat to winning the division. The three-1 Los Angeles Rams. This wasn’t just any game. This was the game that started the quarterback controversy. This was the game where M. Jones made everyone remember who he was. The 49ers were massive underdogs. They were missing Brock Pury, obviously, but they were also without Brandon Iuk, George KD, Ricky Pearl, and Jawan Jennings. Their top three receivers were out. Max’s primary targets were guys like Demarcus Robinson, Kendrick Bourne, and Marquez Valdez Scandling, two of whom weren’t even on the roster a month ago. The 49ers were 8.5 point underdogs. Kyle Shanahan even told Mack before the game that they were touchdown underdogs, trying to motivate him. What did Mack do? He went out and threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-23 overtime win. He was battling through a sprained knee and a cramping forearm, but he kept slinging it. He led a 91 yard touchdown drive. He hit Christian McCaffrey for scores and he was making plays under pressure. It was the biggest upset of the 2025 season so far. And M. Jones was the reason why. After the game, people started asking the question, should M. Jones keep starting even when Brock Purie is healthy? And here’s how Mack reacted to the question. I think, you know, they brought me here um to play as a backup and that’s my job and Brock’s the starter of this team and right now he’s dealing with something and for him to go out there last week and play when, you know, he probably wasn’t a full full health like he cares about this team. So, I’m just trying to get some wins for him so it helps us down the line and um at the end of the day that’s what it’s all about. like I’ve been in his position. I’ve been a starter and you want your backup to go in there and win cuz at the end of the season that could be the hit or miss between a playoff or not. So dude is a class act with no ego, just a guy who’s happy to be playing meaningful football again. So let’s talk about the stats because this is where it gets really interesting. Through three starts in 2025, M. Jones is undefeated, 3 and 0. He’s completing 66.7% of his passes for 95 passing yards, six touchdowns, and just one interception. It’s a TD to interception ratio of 6 to1. He’s playing efficient, smart football with absolutely no supporting cast except for Christian McCaffrey. Now, let’s take a look at Brock Pury in 2025. Through his two starts before getting hurt, he has a 1 in1 record, a 65.8% completion percentage, 586 passing yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. Let me say that again. Brock Party has thrown more interceptions in two games than M. Jones has thrown in three games. Mack has more wins, more passing yards, more touchdowns, fewer interceptions, and a slightly better completion percentage than Brock Pury. Oh, and remember Brock Party’s contract, 5 years and $265 million. That’s $53 million per year. He got $181 million guaranteed at signing. That’s the seventh highest annual value among all quarterbacks in the NFL. M. Jones, he’s making $4.2 million per year. Let me put that in perspective. For every $1 the 49ers are paying M. Jones, they’re paying Brock Pury $12.5. And right now in 2025, M. Jones is literally outperforming him at a fraction of the cost. Now, I know what you guys are thinking, Mike, it’s only been a few games. Let’s not go there. And you’re right. We’re talking about a very small sample size. But here’s the thing. Context matters. And the context here is very fascinating. Remember all those debates about whether Brock Pury was a system quarterback, whether he was just a product of Kyle Shanahan’s offense and all that elite talent around him? Well, M. Jones is literally playing in the same offense right now with less talent actually because of all the injuries and he’s still winning games. This doesn’t mean that Brock Pretty isn’t good. He’s absolutely a talented quarterback. He led the 49ers to a Super Bowl for crying out loud. But what M. Jones is doing right now is proving something important. How Shanahan’s system elevates quarterbacks. It’s designed to put them in a position to succeed. Dan Orlovski tried to say this in 2023 and he got destroyed for it. But he was right. He wasn’t trying to disrespect Perie. He was just trying to say that M. Jones was better than people thought and that the situation in New England was holding him back. Now we’re seeing it play out in real time. M. Jones and Kyle Shanahan’s offense with Shanahan’s play calling and scheme looks like a completely different quarterback than he did in New England or Jacksonville. And here’s the crazy part. This is what Shanahan wanted all along. He wanted M. Jones in 2021. He watched him for four years struggling in bad situations. And the moment Mack became available, Shanahan signed him. It was like he was waiting for this chance. Like he’s been saying, “I told you so.” This whole time. Now, I’d be lying if I didn’t mention one factor in all of this. The 49ers have the easiest schedule in the entire NFL this year. I’m serious. According to both traditional metrics and projected win totals, the 49ers have the easiest strength of schedule for 2025. Their opponents had a combined 415 winning percentage in 2024. That’s the lowest in the league. They only play four games against teams that made the playoffs last season. So, yes, M. Jones is putting up great numbers, but he’s also playing teams like the Saints, who were 5-2 last year, the Cardinals, who were 8-9 last year. They have games against the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants coming up. They were both three and 14 last year. Does this mean Max’s success is inflated? Maybe a little. But here’s the counterargument. Brock Party is playing the same schedule against the same teams and he threw four interceptions in his first two games. The schedule is what it is. Mack can only play the teams in front of him and so far he’s 3 and 0. He’s making smart decisions. He’s not turning the ball over and he’s doing exactly what this offense needs. So where does this leave us? What happens when Brock Freddy is healthy? Well, unless something dramatically changes, Pertie is going to go back to being the starter. He’s got that $265 million contract. He’s earned the respect of the locker room. He’s taken this team to the Super Bowl. You don’t bench that guy from M. Jones after a few good games. But here’s what it does do. It completely changes the conversation about both quarterbacks. For M. Jones, this is his redemption. This is proof that he’s not a bust, that he can play at a high level when he’s in the right system with the right coaching. Maybe he’s not a franchise quarterback who is going to carry a team on his back, but he’s absolutely a guy who can win you games at the right situation. And you know what? That’s valuable. Really valuable. There are teams in the league right now who would kill to have a quarterback that’s playing as well as M. Jones is. Take the Cleveland Browns for instance. They are literally revolving the door at the quarterback position and have one of the best defenses in the entire NFL. M just showed that he can be a legitimate starter in this league. For Brock Party, this creates an interesting question. How much of his success is him? And how much of it is the system? I’m not saying he’s not talented. He clearly is. But when your backup comes in and arguably plays better than you were playing, it certainly raises questions, especially when you’re making $53 million a year. The 49ers bet big on Pury. They gave him that massive extension. They restructured their entire roster to afford him, losing significant players in the process, and now M. Jones is out here winning games and making $4.2 million a year. The whole situation tells us something important about the NFL. Fit matters, system matters, coaching matters. Sometimes more than raw talent. M. Jones didn’t suddenly become a different player. He’s the same guy who won 10 games as a rookie. He’s just in a better situation now. Better coaching, better play calling, better weapons, better everything. Think about all the other quarterbacks who struggled and then found success in new situations. Baker Mayfield was cast away in Cleveland, looked terrible in Carolina, and then became a Pro Bowler in Tampa. Sam Darnold struggled in New York and Carolina, went to Minnesota as a backup, had an MVP caliber season in 2024 before signing with Seattle. Gino Smith was out of the league and then became a Pro Bowler in Seattle. The NFL is full of these stories. Quarterbacks who struggled in one place and thrived in another. And Mac Jones is just the latest example. Kyle Shanahan deserves credit here, too. He saw something in Mack in 2021, and he wanted to draft him. And even after watching Mack struggle for four years, he still believed in him enough to sign him. And now he’s getting vindication for that belief. At the end of the day, I’m not saying that M. Jones is better than Pertie. I’m not saying the 49ers should make him the starter permanently. That would be crazy. What I am saying is this. M. Jones is proving that he’s a legitimate NFL quarterback when he’s in the right situation. He’s proving that Dan Orlovski wasn’t crazy for defending him. He’s proving that Kyle Shanahan was right to want him in 2021. and he’s proving that sometimes the story isn’t over just because everyone says it is. Matt Jones was written off as a bust, traded for a sixthround pick, playing back up in Jacksonville, and now he’s undefeated as a starter for one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, outperforming a $265 million quarterback while making a fraction of the cost. That’s one hell of a redemption story. And honestly, I’m here for it because in a league that’s so quick to give up on players, it’s refreshing to see a guy get another chance and actually take advantage of it. Matt Jones is showing everyone that he belongs, that he can play, that he was never really the problem. The system was, the coaching was, and the situation was. You put him in the right place with the right coach and suddenly M. Jones looks like the guy who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, the guy that Kyle Shanahan wanted all along. So, let me know in the comment section down below. Should M. Jones be the new starter of the San Francisco 49ers. Aside from that, I’m your boy Mike and I’m dropping our mic until our next upload. [Music]

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32 comments

  1. Niners have a good core for success, yes. Purdy is still the guy that gives the niners the best chance at winning WHEN HEALTHY. Purdy is literally injured and came back too soon this content sucks. Don’t fall for this propaganda 😂 Let’s go Mac Jones. Let’s go Brock Purdy. Let’s go Niners. Leave it at that.

  4. Purdy turned a shit team into a Super Bowl team. He actually won the game… the defense lost it. His being exposed is he’s hurt. Jones has done what? Won 3 games? It’s laughable. Purdy was the best QB In the league two years ago dragging a nothing team to the SB. It’s stupid. And when you take into account nobody even wanted him and he did that… it’s laughable. It’s Purdy’s team. Jones is lucky to have a job. I’m happy for him… but he’s a place holder.

  5. Ah yes, I remember when Steph Curry went down with an injury for a season and the NBA media and the NBA fans started to clamor and claim that Curry was never even at the level of Damian Lillard. Point is, people got short term memories. They've already forgotten what Purdy looked like in the SuperBowl, the biggest stage in the NFL.

  6. Mac Jones is a piece of shit with multiple DUIs, one covered up by a teammate that switched seats with him in the car. Used to spike drinks in highschool at parties and was a drunk by the time he was 15.

    Guy is a TOOL. Went to a high school that played his highschool in basketball, Ponte Vedra. Tore my ACL against them senior year, vividly remember his dumb face laughing in the front row after it happened.

  8. FYI, Jones was a 1st Round Pick in 2021, Purdy was the last pick in 2022. Jones is supposed to perform better than most if not all, but he didn't, and is finally starting to. Purdy was expected to be below average, but he outplayed so many star QBs and took the Niners to the 2023 SB, that's why he got the highest contract- and that's the difference. So your comparison is wrong and stupid.

  11. There have been numerous talented QB’s in the last 3-4 years who weren’t propped up the right way and paid the price ultimately. I fully understand, this is a perfect world scenario, but any rookie QB needs to sit out for at least one season if possible. Or *most need to. I don’t think it’s fair to take a 21 y/o kid, throw him on a dog shit team, and get mad at him specifically when they still aren’t succeeding. Chiefs will always be my go to reference for this because they had the formula to incubate Mahomes the right way. Brett Veach put a good team around him, Andy Reid benched him first year and he got to learn from the legendary Alex Smith (he’s a legend to me at least, damnit.) and then of course coach Reid is just a class act human being. Put all that together and you at least have the framework to hone in on someone like Mahomes’ craft. It’s not guaranteed to work every time, but imagine if Mahomes got drafted to a poverty franchise like the Bears. His talent would have been wasted most likely and we’d see all of one maybe two seasons from the guy before they screwed him up. Your surroundings are just as important as your abilities. Mac Jones is a good kid, I’ve always rooted for him in the back of my head. I’m happy for his success, but I would also say the same about Purdy as he’s clearly a great story too. Right now I’m digging the Dartabo combo up in NY. reminds me so much of my Chiefs when we first started to have some fun after decades of failure. Have fun with it, y’all. Thanks for beating the birds on the same night the Phillies poached a World Series appearance. Too real for that one 🤣

  12. Since this is called a common section, I think I’ll make my comment now. The cadence after every one of your sentences is strange. Why don’t you just say it?

  14. Brock Purdy is vastly overrated. I think he’s decent. I think he’s maybe a little better than average but he’s definitely not worth what they paid him and right now Mac Jones is probably better than him.

  15. Mac having the backups in there and playing well makes since. Those guys were not used to Purdy, they have had to learn the system with Jones, while Jones learns it. Almost like having two different but effective offenses.

  17. Mac Jones was winning quarterback in Alabama in which they won the college championship under Nick Saban who is friends with that’s right Belichick I knew when they showed that picture of Mac Jones out of shape it was only to ensure the Patriots 12 pick would still be there

  18. Jones went to New England at literally the worst time ANYBODY could have went there. He is anything but a bust. Either Jones or Purdy won't be at SF next year. Purdy probably stays but someone is gonna want Mac.

  19. As a pats fan… we have been telling you all this all along! Mac is a very good QB, just bill sabotaged on his way out and we are still recovering.

  20. I was one of those who was interested to see how Brock would respond to teams getting enought ape and an offseason on him – every QB will put tendencies on tape – now teams will respond to that tape, then the chess match starts. Can Mac Jones play chess or is he going to play checkers?

  22. Whatever good you see on Brock, that’s it. He won’t do good no more. He was done since the injury 2023 for nfc championship against Eagles. 49ers should finish this season with Mac Jones. As right now, he is the guy, he might loose games, and hey, the guy is making miracles with the players he has, if he had what Purdy had for the past couple of seasons, we would at least win one more Super Bowl if not maybe two for the Niners. He showed us what is made of at the game against Rams. Thank you.

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