Mac Jones
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Kyle Shanahan had a strong message for Mac Jones after he led the 49ers to victory over the Saints in Week 2
The San Francisco 49ers were down a couple of star players in Week 2, but they still managed to grind out a 26-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints. That was thanks in large part to quarterback Mac Jones, who filled in for Brock Purdy under center in this one. After the game, head coach Kyle Shanahan wasn’t shy in praising Jones for putting together a strong outing in his first start with the Niners.
Jones hasn’t exactly enjoyed a lot of success in the NFL, but his stock could be on the rise after a strong performance against the Saints. And with Purdy expected to miss at least one more game, Shanahan and the 49ers will continue to rely on Jones to lead their offense forward in the immediate future.
Kyle Shanahan Gushes Over Mac Jones
Ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft, Jones was linked heavily to San Francisco, which had the No. 3 overall pick. Instead, they took Trey Lance with that selection, which led to Jones falling all the way to the No. 15 overall pick, where the New England Patriots selected him. Jones earned a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie, but a slew of coaching changes and a lack of talent around him on offense led to him regressing mightily over the next two seasons.
Jones got traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the 2024 season, where he worked as Trevor Lawrence’s backup. Over the offseason, Jones ended up signing with the 49ers, with the hope being that Shanahan and the team’s coaching staff could help build him back up after a rough start to his career.
Against New Orleans, Jones looked solid, as he threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns on the day. Purdy will obviously take over when he’s healthy enough to play again, but it was encouraging to see Jones deliver the goods, and Shanahan revealed that he was quite impressed with what he saw from the former Alabama Crimson Tide star.
“I thought Mac played real well,” Shanahan said after the game. “We had a number of things we had to change up … Thought he handled the situation well, thought he delivered the ball real well. Obviously, would like to have that fumble back, hopefully we can get rid of it a little earlier … But yeah, I thought he did a hell of a job.”
49ers Set to Turn to Mac Jones Again in Week 3 if Brock Purdy Can’t Go
GettyNEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SEPTEMBER 14: Mac Jones #10 of the San Francisco 49ers is congratulated by Christian McCaffrey #23 after passing the ball for a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the second half in the game at Caesars Superdome on September 14, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
The Saints’ defense isn’t exactly one of the better units in the league, but seeing Jones lead the 49ers to victory in enemy territory is obviously going to make the team thrilled. With Purdy potentially missing a few more games, that will give Shanahan and company the confidence needed to run the offense as they typically would with their $265 million stud.
San Francisco will have the benefit of returning home in Week 3, but they will be taking on another 2-0 team in the NFC West, the Arizona Cardinals, when they return to action. The Cardinals haven’t exactly dominated in their wins over the Saints and Carolina Panthers, but they will offer Jones and the rest of the offense a much tougher challenge next week. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.