The San Francisco 49ers have navigated an unexpected quarterback situation through their first five games of the 2025 season.
Coach Kyle Shanahan has already turned to two different starters as injuries and performance have shaped the team’s direction.
Brock Purdy, who recently signed a five-year extension worth $265 million with $181 million guaranteed and a no-trade clause, opened the season but managed just a 1-1 record before a toe injury sidelined him in Week 4 against Jacksonville.
Mac Jones stepped in and has posted a perfect 3-0 record while displaying the sharpest form of his career since his Alabama days.
ESPN analyst Adam Schefter recently addressed the developing situation and what league sources are indicating about the 49ers’ plans moving forward.
“Mac Jones has played well. The environment has elevated his play as the 49ers thought it would. He signed a two-year contract, and I guess that you look at it as a two-year rehab project, so to speak, where you kind of rehab your confidence and playing style and swagger and all those things, and he held everything unbelievably so far. So his value is going up. I don’t think they’re gonna look to trade him. I think they’re very happy with him. They paid Brock Purdy. I think it’s Brock Purdy’s job, no matter what happens,” Schefter said on WEEI Afternoons.
"Mac Jones is in line to start this week… it's Brock Purdy's job. No matter what happens." @AdamSchefter weighs in on the quarterback situation in San Francisco pic.twitter.com/4ICTK44Fcd
— WEEI Afternoons (@WEEIAfternoons) October 8, 2025
Jones’ performance has sparked legitimate debate about whether he should remain the starter even after Purdy returns to full health.
The former New England quarterback has completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 905 yards and six touchdowns across three starts.
He currently leads the NFL with 301.7 passing yards per game and appears to be executing Shanahan’s system with notable efficiency.
Jones’ resurgence carries added intrigue given San Francisco’s prior interest in him during the 2021 draft.
The 49ers traded up to the third overall pick before New England selected him at No. 15 instead.
After earning Pro Bowl honors as a rookie, Jones struggled through three difficult seasons with the Patriots.
His transformation under Shanahan’s guidance represents a stark contrast to that inconsistent stretch.
Moreover, Purdy has not replicated his 2023 form when he made the Pro Bowl and led the league in both passer rating and QBR.
Full recovery from the toe issue could help restore his mobility and decision-making while allowing him to extend plays more effectively.
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