Brock Purdy credits this teammate with saving 49ers' season

The San Francisco 49ers had to turn to backup quarterback Mac Jones multiple times during the 2025 regular season as starter Brock Purdy dealt with what became a lingering toe injury.

For a lengthy piece published on Friday, Purdy spoke with ESPN's Nick Wagoner about how Jones helped save what could have become a lost campaign for the 49ers. 

Mac Jones "stepped right in and kept the ship rolling" for 49ers

"When a starting quarterback goes down, sometimes that could be the season," Purdy explained during his comments about Jones. "He stepped right in and kept the ship rolling. ... It wasn't just 'Let's squeeze by' wins. He looked great doing it. And he's been ready still even since I came back. To have two guys who can go in and play at a high level, there's nothing better."

Jones went 5-3 across eight starts for games that Purdy missed due to the toe injury he suffered in Week 1 and then aggravated in Week 4. Pro Football Reference stats show that Jones ended the regular season ranked ninth in the NFL among qualified players with a 63.5 adjusted QBR and 13th with a 97.4 passer rating. 

Jones played so well that some suggested in November that he should remain the 49ers' starter for as long as he was the "hot hand." According to Purdy, Jones happily stepped aside after Week 10 once San Francisco's first-choice starter was cleared to resume playing.

"For me to be able to see that and feel that in a real way, I'll always be appreciative of that," Purdy said about how Jones handled what could have become an awkward situation. "Sometimes in this business, you can make it weird. But he did not."

Meanwhile, Purdy guided the 49ers to six consecutive victories before the club's Week 18 home loss to the Seattle Seahawks. 

Is Mac Jones thinking about receiving an opportunity to start for a different team next fall? 

Jones could receive an opportunity to win a starting job later this year. He signed a two-year deal with the 49ers last offseason, meaning a different club would have to trade for his services. 

"People ask me about it, I get it," Jones said about his uncertain future. "But at the same time, I'm dialed in. I love the guys here and don't want to be a distraction. I know that I possibly could be needed at a very critical part of the season, and so your job as the backup quarterback is to save the season. If I have to do that, I know I'm going to be ready."

The 12-5 49ers will next play a wild-card playoff game at the 11-6 Philadelphia Eagles this coming Sunday. As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had San Francisco as a 5.5-point road underdog for that matchup.