Mac Jones finally looked like the quarterback the San Francisco 49ers hoped they were getting when they brought him in. The former first-round pick stepped in for an injured Brock Purdy on Thursday night and delivered a performance that had people talking for all the right reasons.
Jones guided the 49ers to their third consecutive victory against the Los Angeles Rams. Over the past three NFL weeks, his fiery on-field personality has been impossible to ignore.
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But according to Nick Saban, none of this should come as a surprise.
The Alabama legend appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday and shared some telling stories about Jones from his college days. Saban even gave him a nickname that perfectly captured his temperament back then.
“Mac was a tennis player in high school. Like, when Mac threw a bad pass, he’d kick and fuss and cuss. So I’d say, ‘John, you going to throw your racquet now? Is that what you’re going to do?’ I’d say, ‘you can’t do that and play quarterback. You’re affecting the whole team out here. You make one bad play and you go bananas.’ I said, ‘you can’t do that. You’re gonna have bad plays. You gotta play the next play. You can’t get emotional about it and let it affect everybody around here with your negative body language. It’s not an individual sport. You can’t throw your racquet. Cut that s–t out,'” Saban said.
"When Mac threw a bad pass, he’d kick, and fuss, and cuss. … I said, ‘You can’t do that. You’re going to have bad plays. … You can’t get emotional about it. … Cut that s— out.’"
Nick Saban on what it was like coaching Mac Jones at Alabama 👀 (via @PatMcAfeeShow) pic.twitter.com/6Mw5lPKYQI
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 3, 2025
Saban called him “John McEnroe” because of his tendency to pout and complain like the tennis star. The coach admitted he sometimes had to step in and tell Jones to tone it down. That competitive fire always came with a little drama attached.
Jones has dealt with reputation issues before. During his time with the New England Patriots, he faced criticism for how he interacted with some coaches. At 27, he’s still working to shed the label of being a bit immature.
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban talks with quarterback Mac Jones (10) against the Florida Gators at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-Imagn Images
Back at Alabama, Jones was surrounded by first-round talent everywhere he looked. Heisman winner DeVonta Smith, Doak Walker Award winner Najee Harris, and All-SEC wideout Jaylen Waddle made his job considerably easier.
Thursday night presented a completely different challenge. With nearly every usual starting skill player sidelined by injury, aside from running back Christian McCaffrey, Jones still found a way to lead his team to victory.
That’s the kind of performance that changes narratives.
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