Four years after the San Francisco 49ers considered using the No. 3 overall pick on quarterback Mac Jones, head coach Kyle Shanahan finally got his man. However, this time, Jones arrives in Santa Clara as a free agent and will serve as Brock Purdy's backup.
In 2021, the 49ers ultimately drafted Trey Lance, while Jones landed with the New England Patriots. After being traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars last year, Jones hit free agency for the first time this offseason and chose to join Shanahan, Purdy, and a franchise that has enjoyed consistent success—aside from a disappointing six-win 2024 campaign.
Jones recently sat down with 49ers.com's Briana McDonald to discuss his transition to the Niners. He shared that he's eager to help his new team and learn from Purdy.
"Obviously, this was a spot I felt comfortable," Jones said. "I feel like there's a lot of good people here, a lot of winners here. So really, just wanted to surround myself with winners."
He added, "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 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."
Jones' relationship with Purdy goes back to his Alabama days, when Purdy contemplated joining the Crimson Tide before committing to Iowa State.
"I actually hosted Brock on his official visit to Alabama," Jones revealed. "So, him and his brother came. I was thinking about that on the way here. He came, and we just played video games in my apartment and talked about football."
Jones said he and Purdy trained together in Jacksonville last offseason.
"He works very hard," Jones added. "You can tell he's very cerebral, and I want to learn from him. You can see, just being in the room with him, [he] elevates everybody. If I can help him, happy to help. But at the same time, I'm here to learn."
When asked what he hopes to bring to the 49ers in 2025, Jones responded, "Just a great energy, a great teammate. I love playing football. I love having fun and winning. I know there's a lot of winners in this building, and I'm looking forward to surrounding myself with them and just being a great teammate."
