Mac Jones, the former New England Patriots ͏and͏ Jacksonville Jaguars͏ quarterback, has recently ͏signed a two-year ͏contract with the ͏San ͏Francisco 49ers, marking a͏͏ ͏pivotal ͏moment in his ͏career. After a rocky tenure in New England͏ ͏and a brief stint in Jacksonville, Jones expressed his enthusiasm for joining a team he believes embodies a winning culture.
Mac Jones Aims to Revive His Career with the 49ers
After enduring three challenging seasons with the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars, quarterback Mac Jones has found a fresh start with the San Francisco 49ers. Signing a one-year deal in free agency, Jones is eager to embrace a winning culture and learn from an established system.
“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,” Jones said.
Jones’ career trajectory has͏ been tumultuous. After ͏͏leading the Patriots ͏to a ͏͏playoff appearance in his͏ rookie͏ year with͏ a 1͏0-7͏͏ record, he͏͏ struggled over the next͏ two͏ seasons, going ͏8͏-1͏7 ͏as͏ ͏a starter before being͏ ͏benched. ͏A trade to ͏Jacksonville provided another͏ opportunity where an injury to͏ Trevor Lawrence thrusted ͏him into action,͏ but he again faltered, posting ͏a 2-͏5͏ record.͏
The 49e͏rs, under head coach Kyle Shanahan, have built ͏a reputation as one͏ of the NFL’s͏ most successful franchises, reaching two Super Bowls ͏in recent years. Jones views this as an ideal place to grow and develop under a proven coaching staff.
“I know Brock [Purdy] 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 really just want to learn from him and be a sponge. And obviously, Kyle [Shanahan] and his résumé 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.”, he said.
MORE: List of NFL Starting Quarterbacks
Jones͏ ͏and͏ Purdy share a͏ connection dating back to their college recruitment days, and the former Patriots quarterback is ͏eager to learn from his new ͏teammate. Purdy has quickly͏ risen to prominence, leading San Francisco to two NFC Championship Games and a Super͏ Bowl ͏appearance in just three seasons.
“He actually trained last offseason in Jacksonville. We had a lot of good throwing sessions together. He’s done a great job and he works very hard. You can tell he’s very cerebral and I want to learn from him. You can see, just being in the room with him elevates everybody. If I can help him, [I’m] happy to help, but at the same time I’m here to learn.”, said Jones
Though the 49ers are coming off a disappointing 6-11 season due to injuries, Jones hopes that both his career and the team’s fortunes can rebound together. With Brock Purdy firmly entrenched as the starter, Jones is unlikely to challenge for the starting job but sees this as an opportunity to restore his reputation before hitting free agency again next year. Following a path similar to former 49ers backup Sam Darnold, who parlayed a backup role into a starting opportunity and a $100 million contract, Jones is looking to prove his worth.
With a chance to develop under a winning system and learn from a young star quarterback, Jones believes he made the right choice in joining San Francisco.