Mac Jones is starting over in the Bay Area, and if early signs mean anything, the former New England Patriots quarterback is already making an impression on Kyle Shanahan.
After joining the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, Jones is working to reset his career as the backup to Brock Purdy. He may be in a supporting role, but the former first-round pick is drawing early praise and might be in exactly the right spot to bounce back.
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Kyle Shanahan Sounds Off on Mac Jones’ Early Days in San Francisco
For the first time since being traded, Mac Jones is participating in a full offseason program on a team not named the Patriots. OTAs opened this week in San Francisco, and Jones finally hit the field in front of the media on Thursday.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t hold back when asked about his initial impressions of the 26-year-old.
“We’ve only been on the field two days,” Shanahan said, “but he’s been great going through the meetings those first two weeks in Phase One … just being able to coach him on that.”
Shanahan emphasized the importance of technique work during the early part of the offseason, especially with Brian Griese gone and Mick Lombardi now coaching the quarterbacks. So far, the early returns have been positive.
“I think He’s had two real good days,” Shanahan added. “We’ll see how the rest goes.”
Jones completed 7 of 8 passes in 7-on-7 drills Thursday, though he still showed signs of learning the offense, holding the ball longer than Purdy and hesitating at times. That’s expected. He’s new to Shanahan’s system, and OTAs are far from full speed.
But for a player who was once in consideration for the 49ers’ No. 3 overall pick in 2021, this is a long-awaited pairing that feels overdue.
Can the 49ers Revive Mac Jones’ Career Like They Did for Darnold?
The Jones–Shanahan connection was nearly a reality back in 2021 before the 49ers picked Trey Lance. That gamble didn’t pan out, but now Jones is in San Francisco after three up-and-down seasons in New England.
Jones went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie, but the Patriots never provided him a stable system or a competitive roster. In San Francisco, the environment is drastically different. It’s the same place that just helped Sam Darnold rebuild his value and land a starting job with the Vikings before inking a three-year deal with the Seahawks.
It’s a win-win setup for Jones and the 49ers. He’s a legitimate backup with 49 career starts, and San Francisco needed to upgrade behind Purdy after rolling with Brandon Allen and Joshua Dobbs last year.
Purdy has been injured four times since taking over as a starter in December 2022, so Jones may be one play away from another shot. And according to Sports Illustrated, he’s already ranked the No. 6 backup quarterback in the NFL.
If history repeats itself, Shanahan might be building another quarterback redemption story, this time with the guy he nearly took four years ago.