Year after year, the San Francisco 49ers seem to find themselves in a quarterback controversy. It happened with Jimmy Garoppolo in 2021, with Brock Purdy and Trey Lance in 2022, and now with Purdy and Mac Jones.
Although the coaching staff and general manager John Lynch have publicly reaffirmed their full confidence in Purdy, 49ers legend Steve Young has remained neutral on the matter, showing support for both quarterbacks on the roster.
Steve Young Addresses 49ers Quarterback Situation Amid Brock Purdy’s Imminent Return
For the first time this season, the 49ers have what could be considered a good problem. Internally, there’s no debate about who the starting quarterback is, but in the media, opinions remain split between Jones and Purdy regarding who should lead the team for the rest of the year.
Young, a constant voice in San Francisco sports media, has deliberately stayed out of the discussion out of respect for both quarterbacks, believing such debates only hurt players, especially Jones, who was brought in to be a backup but has performed exceptionally well when called upon.
“I actually don’t want to talk about the quarterbacks, and who should play, and who doesn’t because I think it does a disservice to what Mac has done, which is quite remarkable and really respectable, and what Brock has done, which is amazing. And so, I just refuse to get into the mix of it,” Young said.
Jones has indeed done an impressive job under Kyle Shanahan, effectively reviving his career in San Francisco. He currently ranks 13th in the PFSN Quarterback Meter with a score of 80.4 and is coming off arguably his best game of the season, completing over 80% of his passes with 33 completions.
Even so, the 49ers have made it clear that Jones remains the backup, and once Purdy is fully healthy, he will reclaim the starting job. Shanahan said during his press conference that it wouldn’t even be a difficult decision, and Jones seems to understand that, as he’s repeatedly stated that he’s simply doing the job he was brought in to do.
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“I’m cheering for Brock Purdy to get 100% healthy and get back. I miss seeing him play. I miss his style. I miss his grit. I hope he can get back as soon as possible. But until he’s full speed, I tip my cap to Mac, and let’s go,” Young added in an interview with KNBR.
Purdy is on track to return to action Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, alongside wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who has been sidelined since Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Both players are getting healthy just as the 49ers enter one of the softest stretches of their schedule.
