SANTA CLARA — Kyle Shanahan isn’t one to shower his players with undue praise, but where Mac Jones is concerned he was willing to make an exception.
Shanahan called Jones into his office before Thursday’s practice session to give his backup quarterback news which had already become apparent during the week of practice. Brock Purdy was good to go.
Purdy worked with the first team during the brief media window Friday and wasn’t included on a remarkably clean final injury report. The only player listed was Deommodore Lenoir, who had a calf strain during warmups Thursday. If Lenoir can’t play, the likely starter at cornerback is Darrell Luter Jr.
Shanahan said he got the reaction he expected when he informed Jones before Thursday’s practice.
“It was pretty easy inside of our building,” Shanahan said Friday. “No worries.”
Jones was not present during the open locker room session after Friday’s practice.
Shanahan was more expansive about the meeting the previous day during his weekly spot with KNBR-680.
“I didn’t even have to communicate with him,” Shanahan said. “I think he understood the situation that he went into. He’s understood it the whole time. And he had a real good idea that Brock was getting there, was going to be ready this week.”
Yet on the suggestion of his wife Mandy, who thought Jones deserved a pat on the back, Shanahan did just that.
“I did call him in just to tell him how much I appreciated how well he played during that time and to thank him for it,” Shanahan said.
Jones’ reaction?
“He’s like, ‘Hey, man, I enjoyed it, and I’m gonna go have fun on scout team today, and I’ll be ready if I’m ever needed again.’ Mac’s handled it great since the beginning . . . And I’m really pumped to have him this year, and I’m really pumped that we have him next year also.”
It’s the least Shanahan could do, considering Jones may have saved the 49ers season. Imagine for a moment if Purdy had given way to either of last year’s backups, Joshua Dobbs or Brandon Allen, instead of Jones.
Purdy returns as the starter Sunday when the 49ers (6-4) visit the Arizona Cardinals (3-6) at State Farm Stadium (Fox, 1:05 p.m.). He’s missed the last six games with turf toe and two others before that, during which time the 49ers were 5-3. You’d be hard-pressed to find much fault with Jones even in the three losses.
Purdy, and many others, are grateful.
“He came in and played extremely well and kept our team alive and moving and going,” Purdy said Thursday. “And so, I appreciate him for that and just everything he’s brought to our team.”
Losing a franchise quarterback for of the first 10 games can be a death knell for the playoff hopes of any team. Instead, because of the way Jones performed and the 49ers’ prescient signing of him in free agency, they’re in the playoff race.
Instead of Jones handing over an also-ran to Purdy, the $265 million man goes straight into a postseason stretch run with seven games remaining. And if the toe is still a problem after Sunday, Jones can step right back in the lineup secure in the knowledge that he’s given his career a jump start and that his teammates will be productive and confident on his behalf.
Jones has been clear since Purdy’s toe started throbbing he knows his role. He’s grateful for not only the opportunity to push himself as a quarterback, but to re-ignite his joy for the game that got lost somewhere with three years in New England and one in Jacksonville.
Nor does he have any regrets about signing a two-year contract unlike Sam Darnold, who took his backup season with the 49ers on a one-year deal and converted it into riches from Minnesota and Seattle.
“I think, like, it was what was presented to me, and I wanted to get back to having fun playing football, and I think I’ve done that,” Jones said after the loss to the Rams. “Today wasn’t as fun, obviously, but I still believe that we have the right guys in this locker room, and I wanted to get around a good organization that believes in the players, that has coaches that believe in the players, and players that believe in the players.
“I’ve just been really fortunate to be here this year, and I want to just try and find ways to win games for us. That’s all I’m here to do, and the future will take care of itself.”
It seems unlikely the 49ers would allow Jones out the door in 2026 to be a starter elsewhere unless they were blown away by a trade offer that included a first-round draft pick and more.
The franchise has plenty of experience to draw from on the value of having more than one capable quarterback, most recently the whole Trey Lance-Jimmy Garoppolo-Purdy drama in three parts in 2022. The 49ers wound up losing the NFC Championship Game in Philadelphia when there was no adequate replacement for Purdy after he injured his throwing elbow.
That doesn’t even include the whole Joe Montana/Steve Young controversy ignited by coach Bill Walsh in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as well as Jim Harbaugh’s switch from Alex Smith to Colin Kaepernick in 2012.
Jones has completed 69.6 percent of his passes (201 for 289) for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions, but his contribution goes farther than numbers. In Jones, Shanahan found a second quarterback who he trusts completely, certainly more than Smith or Garoppolo.
The 49ers’ coach has always had an eye for Kirk Cousins after working with him in Washington, and Jones proved to be very similar in that regard — not particularly athletic, but cerebral and able to execute the 49ers’ offensive system.
Purdy has missed 12 of the 49ers’ last 18 games due to shoulder, elbow and toe injuries, once played with a fractured rib and had reconstructive surgery on his elbow after the 2022 season. There’s no guarantee his toe will hold up even after missing the last six games. So it’s good to have Jones around, both this season and next.
Shanahan was excited about Purdy being back at something resembling 100 percent.
“I know it was a long wait for him, each week watching him get better and better” Shanahan said. “It was an awesome week for him. Just getting him back to do what he does, do what we do and do it aggressively.
Pearsall’s return
Pearsall’s six-game absence with a PCL strain corresponds with Purdy’s last outing, as both were injured Sept. 28 against Jacksonville.
With 20 receptions for 327 yards and 17 first downs, Pearsall had gotten off to a fast start represented the 49ers’ best big-play threat, averaging 16.4 yards per reception. He acknowledged the recovery was longer than expected and conceded it wasn’t until the last week where he began to feel like himself.
“If you look at how PCL’s recover, especially for skills guys like me playing receiver and having to cut, it’s not an easy process to just turn around in a week and come back,” Pearsall said. “I was waking up every day thinking I could go.”
Christian McCaffrey sustained a PCL strain in Week 13 last season and missed the final five games.
While it’s not clear how much Pearsall will play, Jauan Jennings said he plans on reaping the benefits of his presence.
“He helps pick up the energy around us, and to have Slick Rick back means a lot,” Jennings said. “The more attention to Rick helps me tremendously.”
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