Mac Jones has been more than heroic and effective as the San Francisco 49ers' fill-in quarterback for the still-injured Brock Purdy, whose Week 1 turf toe has ultimately limited him to just two games played this season, including a most recent appearance way back in Week 4.
Yet the Jones show appears to be coming to a close in Week 11's NFC West showdown against the Arizona Cardinals.
All signs are pointing to Purdy reclaiming his starting job on Sunday when he and his squad travel to State Farm Stadium with the hope of bouncing back from a brutal NFC West loss to the Los Angeles Rams the previous week. While head coach Kyle Shanahan already acknowledged Purdy's injury may never fully heal this season, the quarterback has apparently gotten back to a level where the risk is worth the reward.
Leading up to Sunday's showdown, general manager John Lynch gave every indication Purdy would return as the Niners starter, and then Shanahan declared the same on Friday: Purdy is back as QB1 with Jones reverting to his primary backup role.
Brock Purdy will start for 49ers in Week 11 vs. Cardinals
Barring anything wholly unexpected leading up to the final minutes of kickoff, Purdy will make only his third start of the season and his first since reaggravating his toe injury back in Week 4.
In all seriousness, it might have been smarter for San Francisco to delay the quarterback's return until a more favorable matchup against a struggling Cardinals squad awaited instead of featuring him against an elite LA defense that boasts a tremendous pass rush. While Jones performed exceptionally well despite the 42-26 loss, Shanahan and Lych have both repeatedly enforced the notion this is Purdy's team, without question.
Plus, considering the red birds are a rival squad Purdy grew up watching in his home state of Arizona, it makes some sense to let him return to action on that front, too.
Purdy and the 49ers aim for their seventh win of the season when they kick off against the Cardinals on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 4:05 p.m. ET from Glendale, Arizona.