Mac Jones Makes His Feelings Clear About Becoming the San Francisco 49ers’ Starting Quarterback

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones just put the NFL on notice with an incredible performance against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. 

Jones threw for 342 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions against the Rams, filling in for injured starting QB Brock Purdy. The 49ers beat the Rams 26-23 in overtime. 

That performance, coupled with the news that Purdy may miss more time with turf toe and Purdy’s struggles in Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, have many NFL fans calling for Jones to become the 49ers’ full-time starter over Purdy. 

In his postgame press conference after defeating the Rams, a reporter asked Jones if he views himself as the 49ers’ starter moving forward. 

“They brought me here to play as a backup,” Jones said. “That’s my job. Brock is the starter of this team. 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 at full health, he cares about this team.” 

In addition to making it clear that Jones still views Purdy as the starter and himself as a backup, Jones provided additional details on how he’s approaching the 49ers season moving forward. 

“I’ve been in [Purdy’s] position, I’ve been a starter and you want your backup to go in there and win because at the end of the season that could be the hit or miss between a playoff or not.” 

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Why Playing Into The Controversy Ultimately Does More Harm Than Good 

Jones’s last point is the most important thing for 49ers fans to take away from his play on Thursday. 

What this 49ers roster has gone out and proven through five weeks is that, as a team, they are capable of winning every football game they play in. Part of what has made that so exceptional is that the 49ers have won despite so many injuries to so many key players. 

The 49ers have proven over the past few seasons that they can win with Brock Purdy, and now they are 3-0 with Mac Jones. 

So instead of arguing who should start when both QBs are healthy, 49ers fans should just simply support whoever takes the field. 

Jones just wants to win. Purdy just wants to win. If Purdy comes back and plays incredibly, no one would be happier than Jones. And if Jones remains the starter after Purdy gets healthy and the 49ers keep winning, Purdy will happily get paid to cheer on Jones. 

If there are contract issues to sort out with Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, those can be figured out in the offseason. But for now, the 49ers need to simply focus on winning football games with the players in the building. 

And the best way 49ers fans can contribute to that is cheering for whoever they put on the field. 

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Was This The Best Performance Of Mac Jones’s Career? 

There is definitely an argument that Thursday night against the Rams was the best performance of Mac Jones’s five-year, 55 game NFL career. Which is significant because remember, Jones was a Pro Bowler following his rookie season in 2021.

342 passing yards is not Jones’s career high, but it is the most yards he has thrown for in a game that his team has won. In the only game he threw for more yards (382) on November 24, 2022 his team the New England Patriots lost to the Minnesota Vikings 33-26. He also played a mistake-free game with no interceptions or fumbles. 

But apart from the stats, the context is what makes this performance potentially legendary. 

Jones had a sprained knee that bothered him throughout the game, and also was dealing with cramps in his forearm. He played without the 49ers’ top three receivers and starting tight end. The 49ers were also missing key players on defense including their best defensive player, Nick Bosa, who is out for the season with an ACL injury. 

And despite all of that, Jones stepped up and beat the previously 3-1 division rival Rams, on the road, in a short week, leading several clutch drives in the process. 

He showed immense toughness and swagger all along the way. 

Regardless of how his season goes from here, this is certainly a game to celebrate for Jones. 

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