SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After an early June organized staff exercise, new San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones walked to a podium within the bowels of Levi’s Stadium and answered questions for about 11 minutes.
As Jones patiently responded to queries about all the pieces from how he was practically picked by the Niners within the 2021 NFL draft to why he believes coach Kyle Shanahan can get his profession again on observe, one thing was clearly nagging him.
On the apply subject moments earlier, Jones had struggled, throwing an interception on to cornerback Derrick Canteen and lacking a handful of open receivers, together with an overthrow to rookie wideout Jordan Watkins on a deep ball.
All through his media session, Jones alluded to his misfires on a number of events, opening a window into the very first thing that he and the 49ers should repair as he steps into the No. 2 quarterback position behind Brock Purdy: rebuilding his means to belief what he sees and minimize it free.
“My objective is to essentially simply have nice makes an attempt like, you realize, is the ball purported to go there?” Jones mentioned. “And whether it is, then let it fly and be dedicated to it. Typically whenever you watch my movie, it wasn’t a full dedication throw and I wish to get higher at that. … That is the entire level of soccer is to strive these throws, be taught from them, after which whenever you get to the sport you may say, ‘Hey, I can do that,’ or ‘I’ll test this one down, you realize, I am attempting to guard the ball.’ So, I’ve discovered the exhausting approach in a approach.”
Certainly, Jones has taken a much more circuitous path to the pink and gold of the 49ers than many observers would have anticipated when he entered the NFL out of Alabama in 2021. On the time, the Niners despatched a trio of first-round picks and extra to the Miami Dolphins to maneuver from No. 12 to No. 3 to pick their franchise quarterback.
Though Jones was broadly thought to be the probably alternative for a lot of the run-up to that draft, the Niners in the end chosen North Dakota State’s Trey Lance. Jones tumbled to the New England Patriots with the fifteenth decide.
Because it turned out, neither Lance nor Jones can be the long-term reply for the Niners or Patriots, respectively, and each groups shortly moved on to different choices. Jones was shipped to Jacksonville after a promising rookie season (56.9 QBR) gave strategy to a pair of disappointing years through which he posted QBRs of 38.4 in 2022 and 37.5 in 2023.
That one-year cease with the Jaguars provided Jones seven beginning alternatives, with Trevor Lawrence injured, however he did not present many indicators of enchancment, posting a 39.8 QBR.
Jones set off into free company for the primary time in March and went looking for an opportunity to play for a coach who has a observe file of compressing essentially the most from his quarterbacks.
Shanahan was the apparent alternative in what felt for either side like a pairing that was all the time going to occur sooner or later. On the outset of free company, Jones and Shanahan texted, with Jones even joking that the pair “acquired in an enormous struggle” over the Niners’ authentic draft determination.
“The world works in mysterious methods,” Jones mentioned, laughing. “I am glad to be again right here and studying from an important group of men, and that is gamers and coaches. So, you go the place you go within the draft, proper? You do not get a number of alternative over that, however I am undoubtedly excited to be right here now.”
Upon arrival in San Francisco, Jones went by an intensive course targeted on fixing his fundamentals. For 3 weeks, Shanahan, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak and quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi went by cutups of Jones’ earlier movie, in addition to tape of different sign callers displaying Jones issues just like the footwork wanted to reach the offense.
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“To observe him undergo these three weeks engaged on some approach issues and simply how we see soccer, I am hoping it helps him and he enjoys it,” Shanahan mentioned.
Tough apply days apart, having fun with his new place of employment hasn’t been an issue for Jones thus far. He is made it clear that he likes being coached exhausting and that he is craved the problem that Shanahan and his employees have put earlier than him.
Jones’ likelihood to be taught the fundamentals of Shanahan’s offense extends past the teaching employees.
In one other fateful twist, when he was a younger participant at Alabama, Jones as soon as performed host for a recruiting go to by a younger quarterback named Purdy. The pair spent that evening in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, hanging out and enjoying video video games, and although Purdy in the end opted for Iowa State, Jones has loved watching Purdy develop into the quarterback who just lately signed a five-year, $265 million contract extension with the 49ers.
For Jones, Purdy presents a each day reminder of how growing in the suitable place with the suitable teaching employees will pay large dividends.
Earlier than signing with the Niners, Jones additionally famous the ascent of Sam Darnold, one other former excessive draft decide who struggled elsewhere, went to San Francisco and has since loved success with the Minnesota Vikings and signed a large free agent cope with the Seattle Seahawks.
Regardless of Jones’ struggles elsewhere, the 49ers nonetheless see related potential in him.
“He is acquired a number of traits that we like for a beginning quarterback,” Kubiak mentioned. “His profession has form of gone up and down a bit bit the previous couple years, however we noticed the identical issues in Jacksonville that we liked about him as a school prospect, and that basically excites us… I believe Mac’s able to being a starter on this league.”
For that to occur, Jones goes to should rebuild from the bottom up, beginning along with his confidence. Jones says it is essential for him to acknowledge what he might have performed higher in earlier stops, and he intends to make use of these “scars” as motivation to enhance.
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In San Francisco, he is the clear backup behind the unquestioned starter in Purdy. Whether or not he performs or not stays to be seen, although Purdy did miss a pair of video games resulting from damage in 2024.
And if Jones must step in, Shanahan does not need him to lament the interceptions thrown in apply or OTAs however bear in mind these errors so he does not make them once more when it actually counts.
“[If] you undergo all these practices and also you by no means throw a decide, you are most likely not getting higher,” Shanahan mentioned. “It is exhausting whenever you get in that stadium and issues like that. Not solely are you getting hit for the primary time, however now all that stuff counts and for those who do not let it rip and undergo all that in apply, you are not going to get any higher within the video games after which it is normally a matter of time earlier than somebody passes you up.”
