Mac Jones gets a fresh start with the San Francisco 49ers. After all, this is a team that nearly drafted him in the 2021 NFL Draft. After being passed over by the 49ers in favor of Trey Lance, Jones wound up with the New England Patriots. He had a great rookie season, but he struggled after that. He’s in the lab, genuinely grinding trying to get better. Under the tutelage of Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers’ coaching staff, he is taking huge steps forward.
In the 2021 NFL draft, the Patriots traded up three spots to select Jones 15th overall. He continued his impressive start in his rookie season, recording an impressive 56.9 quarterback rating. Then, in a sudden downturn, his performance crumbled over the next two seasons. In 2022 that resulted in a bottoming out QBR of 38.4, falling even farther to 37.5 in 2023. After reeling through all of these crosswind rays, the Patriots traded him to the Jacksonville Jaguars. There, he started seven games and still struggled while winning just once, posting a dismal QBR of 39.8.
Now with the 49ers, Jones is the unquestioned No. 2 behind starter Brock Purdy. His two-year tenure in San Francisco seems to have been just the sort of intensive course in the art of getting his fundamentals – again – that he needed. No doubt he’s prepared by spending a ton of time breaking down his past game film with the coaching staff and other quarterbacks.
Jones’ opportunity to learn goes well beyond the coaching staff, as he’s had the chance to engage in significant conversations with Shanahan himself. In free agency, he jokingly settled all their old Twitter beef over the Niners’ choice not to pick him in the draft. We got into a massive argument,” he continued, further demonstrating the playful relationship he has with his friend and boss.
The coaching staff sounded very interested in trying to sharpen Jones’ skills, including his hands. Shanahan explained that sometimes, improvement comes from having your jaw rattled when something challenges you at practice.
“If you go through all these practices and you never throw a pick, you’re probably not getting better,” – Kyle Shanahan.
This advice aligns with Jones’ personal goals. He said he wanted to improve his on-field decision making and live life to the fullest.
“My goal is to really just have great attempts like, you know, is the ball supposed to go there?” – Mac Jones.
“And if it is, then let it fly and be committed to it. Sometimes when you watch my film, it wasn’t a full commitment throw and I want to get better at that,” – Mac Jones.
Jones’ journey is a story of triumph, but it casts a shadow over the price of an NFL career. He started with an incredible commitment, but adversity struck quickly. Today, he’s in a much more supportive environment that rewards innovation and encourages positive risk-taking and professional development. With dedicated coaching and a supportive atmosphere, there is hope that Jones can reclaim his position as a formidable quarterback.
“He’s got a lot of traits that we like for a starting quarterback,” – Klay Kubiak.
Jones’ journey reflects both the highs and lows of an NFL career. His promising start quickly turned into adversity, but now he finds himself in an environment that emphasizes growth and development. With dedicated coaching and a supportive atmosphere, there is hope that Jones can reclaim his position as a formidable quarterback.
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