49ers will start Mac Jones in Week 2 after Brock Purdy ruled out
Purdy sidelined with turf-toe and shoulder issues; Jones to make start Sunday in New Orleans
The San Francisco 49ers announced they will start Mac Jones at quarterback on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints after Brock Purdy was ruled out with a turf-toe injury and an issue with his non-throwing shoulder.
Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the team’s decision and praised Jones’s preparation, saying, "Mac's been awesome. Our team really believes in him." NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport reported that Purdy’s turf toe is expected to sideline him for two to five weeks.
Jones signed with San Francisco this offseason on a two-year contract worth $8.41 million to serve as Purdy’s backup. The former first-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2021 will make his first start for the 49ers and his third start for a third NFL franchise when he leads the team in Week 2.
Jones’s early career included a breakout rookie season in 2021, when he threw for a career-high 3,801 yards, earned a Pro Bowl selection and helped lead the Patriots to the postseason. He struggled with consistency in subsequent seasons and was benched multiple times in 2023, his final year in New England. Jones was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the 2024 season and started seven games there when Trevor Lawrence missed time with an AC-joint injury and a concussion.
During the 2024 campaign, Jones appeared in 10 games and finished with 1,672 passing yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions, compiling an 80.5 passer rating. Those numbers, coupled with his offseason move to San Francisco, gave the 49ers a veteran backup option who has starting experience in regular-season games.
Purdy, who had started the season as the 49ers’ No. 1 quarterback, had been cleared to play earlier but will now enter a recovery window that could extend multiple weeks. The 49ers did not immediately announce their depth-chart changes beyond naming Jones the Week 2 starter.
San Francisco will travel to New Orleans for a Sunday matchup against the Saints, and the team will evaluate Purdy’s status on an ongoing basis as he rehabs. The 49ers are expected to rely on Jones’s familiarity with the offense and experience under center as they navigate the near-term absence of their primary starter.
The decision hands Jones another opportunity to start in the NFL and gives the 49ers a tested, if not long-established, option at quarterback while Purdy recovers. San Francisco’s medical staff and coaching staff will provide updates on Purdy’s timetable as further evaluations are completed.