Mac Jones sends clear message amid 49ers QB controversy talk

Is there really a quarterback controversy brewing with the San Francisco 49ers? Probably not. But one thing is clear: there's growing confidence in backup quarterback Mac Jones—especially after his gutsy performance in Thursday night's thrilling overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Jones gave everything he had in the 49ers' 26-23 victory at SoFi Stadium, battling through pain and putting his body on the line to help San Francisco improve to an NFC West-best 4-1 record. The effort sparked whispers about starter Brock Purdy's job security, as Jones is now 3-0 as a starter this season while filling in for the injured Purdy.

But Jones put that speculation to rest after the Week 5 win.

"They brought me here to play as a backup, and that's my job," said Jones. "Brock's the starter of this team, and 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. So, I'm just trying to get some wins for him so it helps us down the line, and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about.

"I've been in his 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."

The 49ers' offseason move to sign Jones to a two-year deal is proving to be one of their smartest. San Francisco has long admired him, even considering drafting him in 2021, before landing Purdy with the final pick a year later.

Jones entered Thursday's game healthy after recovering from an offseason PCL sprain, but he appeared to re-aggravate the injury in the third quarter. He limped through a drive, then took a brutal hit that looked severe enough to end his night. The broadcast crew even began preparing notes on Adrian Martinez, the next man up.

Instead, Jones shocked everyone by popping back up and jogging off the field before returning to finish the game.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan praised the quarterback's toughness.

"Hurt his knee for a little bit there, but he ended up bouncing back from that," Shanahan explained. "And then, his forearm was cramping there in the second half. Then the fourth quarter, that was bothering him, but he worked through it."

Shanahan added, "He played his ass off. He was unbelievable in the first half. Got banged up a little bit there in the second half, and battled through it."

Jones admitted the night was punishing but emphasized his strong desire to stay on the field, stating, "I mean, I was able to play, so that's all that matters. If I feel like I can protect myself, then I feel like it's my job to be out there."

When asked if he views Jones as a starting-caliber quarterback, Shanahan didn't hesitate.

"Oh, yeah, definitely. Yeah, always have," he responded.

Shanahan added, "Going against that defense, and throwing the ball that many times, and not having a turnover, and protecting like he did, I can't say enough good things about Mac."

For now, there's no quarterback controversy in San Francisco—only reassurance that the 49ers have one of the league's most dependable backup options if Purdy needs more time to get healthy.