San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones continued his hot start to the 2025 season in relief of Brock Purdy on Thursday night, willing his team to a 26-23 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Rams. In the eyes of one former 49ers star, Jones’ impressive showing further proves that Jones may deserve a second shot at being a full-time starter in the NFL.
Despite suffering a lower leg injury in Thursday’s game, Jones was able to systematically pick apart the Rams defense, throwing for 342 passing yards and three touchdowns in the win, which extends the 49ers to 4-1 on the year and Jones’ personal record as the starter in San Francisco to 3-0 in 2025.
Jones has looked career-best in 2025 with the 49ers. While some of this may be due to Kyle Shanahan’s offensive system, which has proven to be a quarterback-friendly one that effortlessly schemes up easy passes, Jones certainly deserves his fair share of credit for how well he has played.
Former 49ers star safety Donte Whitner gave him just that during an appearance on the “Up & Adams Show” on Friday, declaring that Jones is not only the best backup quarterback in football, but also is in the top 15 quarterbacks in all of football.
“Mac Jones sounds like he is creeping up in the top 15,” said Whitner. “A lot of the quarterback play around the National Football League hasn’t been good. Mac is better than half of the league, and he has shown that. Especially last night against the Rams.”
If you are going solely off of how Jones has looked in 2025, it’s hard to argue with Whitner’s take. Especially when you consider all of his impressive play has come without star tight end George Kittle at his disposal, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that he suffered in Week 1.
However, we have seen what Jones looked like as a full-time starter before in New England. And that player is undeniably nowhere near a top 15 quarterback.
We have seen quarterbacks who were once cast off as busts revive their career away from the organization that once drafted them, whether it be Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, or Daniel Jones. But most would like to see more than a three-game sample size from Jones before they are ready to declare that he is a top 15 quarterback in the NFL.
Fortunately for Jones, he may very well get more chances to prove Whitner right moving forward, as Brock Purdy could reportedly miss more games due to his turf toe injury he reaggravated in Week 4.
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