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CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Mac Jones embraces fresh start with 49ers after getting passed over in 2021 NFL Draft
Mac Jones is happy finally to be with coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers even if it came four years after many expected. Jones was linked to San Francisco leading into the 2021 draft but was passed over and ended up in New England. Now after an up and down first four years in the NFL, Jones is trying to revive his career as a backup to Brock Purdy in Shanahan's offense. "Obviously the world works in mysterious ways," Jones said Wednesday. "I'm glad to be back here and learning from a great group of guys, and that's players and coaches. You go where you go in the draft, right? You don't get a lot of choice over that, but I'm definitely excited to be here now." Jones and San Francisco were closely linked leading up to the 2021 draft after the Niners traded three first-round picks to get the No. 3 overall selection. Shanahan was looking to draft a franchise quarterback and was debating between Jones and Trey Lance before San Francisco finally opted for Lance. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws the ball during San Francisco 49ers OTA on June 4, 2025 at SAP Performance Facility in Santa Clara. Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The move backfired as Lance struggled to stay healthy and adjust to Shanahan's system. He made only four starts in two seasons before being traded to Dallas for a fourth-round pick in August 2023, having lost the starting job to Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 draft. Jones had a fast start to his career, helping New England make the playoffs in his rookie season. But Jones regressed the next year after offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left for Las Vegas, and he was replaced as the starter in 2023. Jones was traded to Jacksonville last March and started seven games for the Jaguars, throwing eight TD passes and eight interceptions. Jones has made 49 career starts, posting an 84.9 passer rating with 54 TD passes, 44 interceptions and averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. He said he didn't hesitate to pick San Francisco in his first shot at free agency and has hopes a stint as a backup here can spark his career in a similar fashion to what happened to Sam Darnold after he spent the 2023 season with the Niners. "I always love watching their tape," Jones said. "When you look at stats around the league, they're always in the top five, you see the little San Francisco logo. So I always love watching what Kyle did throughout the years and to finally get in and learn it, it's been a little bit challenging, but also a great challenge because it's things, some things I've done and some things I haven't done at all." Jones has had a different play caller every season in the NFL and said learning another new offense is like "drinking from a water hose." Quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi said that experience pays dividends this spring. "He's not new to this," Lombardi said. "He's not new to kind of new terminology new footwork and how to be coached differently. The one thing I love about Mac is he's always here. He's always willing to try new try new things. He's not stuck in his ways, and he really wants to try and do it our way." Lombardi and Jones have familiarity with Lombardi serving as receivers coach in New England when Jones was a rookie in 2021. Jones and Purdy have a relationship that goes even further, with Jones hosting Purdy on a recruiting visit to Alabama in 2018 and the two have thrown together in the offseason near Jacksonville before Jones signed with San Francisco. "We talked about that and joked around with it a little bit, just him being at Alabama and really before he took off too with his career and the amazing, obviously the National Championship run he had and then getting drafted and everything," Purdy said. "It's pretty cool. We were both just young kids both heading into college and then now here we are on the same team. It's pretty cool."
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Mac Jones embraces fresh start with the 49ers after getting passed over by team in 2021 draft
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Mac Jones is happy finally to be with coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers even if it came four years after many expected. Jones was linked to San Francisco leading into the 2021 draft but was passed over and ended up in New England. Now after an up and down first four years in the NFL, Jones is trying to revive his career as a backup to Brock Purdy in Shanahan's offense. 'Obviously the world works in mysterious ways,' Jones said Wednesday. 'I'm glad to be back here and learning from a great group of guys, and that's players and coaches. You go where you go in the draft, right? You don't get a lot of choice over that, but I'm definitely excited to be here now.' Jones and San Francisco were closely linked leading up to the 2021 draft after the Niners traded three first-round picks to get the No. 3 overall selection. Shanahan was looking to draft a franchise quarterback and was debating between Jones and Trey Lance before San Francisco finally opted for Lance. The move backfired as Lance struggled to stay healthy and adjust to Shanahan's system. He made only four starts in two seasons before being traded to Dallas for a fourth-round pick in August 2023, having lost the starting job to Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 draft. Jones had a fast start to his career, helping New England make the playoffs in his rookie season. But Jones regressed the next year after offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left for Las Vegas, and he was replaced as the starter in 2023. Jones was traded to Jacksonville last March and started seven games for the Jaguars, throwing eight TD passes and eight interceptions. Jones has made 49 career starts, posting an 84.9 passer rating with 54 TD passes, 44 interceptions and averaging 6.7 yards per attempt. He said he didn't hesitate to pick San Francisco in his first shot at free agency and has hopes a stint as a backup here can spark his career in a similar fashion to what happened to Sam Darnold after he spent the 2023 season with the Niners. 'I always love watching their tape,' Jones said. 'When you look at stats around the league, they're always in the top five, you see the little San Francisco logo. So I always love watching what Kyle did throughout the years and to finally get in and learn it, it's been a little bit challenging, but also a great challenge because it's things, some things I've done and some things I haven't done at all.' Jones has had a different play caller every season in the NFL and said learning another new offense is like 'drinking from a water hose.' Quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi said that experience pays dividends this spring. 'He's not new to this,' Lombardi said. 'He's not new to kind of new terminology new footwork and how to be coached differently. The one thing I love about Mac is he's always here. He's always willing to try new try new things. He's not stuck in his ways, and he really wants to try and do it our way.' Lombardi and Jones have familiarity with Lombardi serving as receivers coach in New England when Jones was a rookie in 2021. Jones and Purdy have a relationship that goes even further, with Jones hosting Purdy on a recruiting visit to Alabama in 2018 and the two have thrown together in the offseason near Jacksonville before Jones signed with San Francisco. 'We talked about that and joked around with it a little bit, just him being at Alabama and really before he took off too with his career and the amazing, obviously the National Championship run he had and then getting drafted and everything,' Purdy said. 'It's pretty cool. We were both just young kids both heading into college and then now here we are on the same team. It's pretty cool.' ___ AP NFL:
Boston Globe
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Brock Purdy, 49ers agree to five-year, $265 million contract
Purdy has made less than $1 million a year for his first three seasons and was set to get a small raise in 2025 to about $5.2 million under the league's proven performance escalator for making the Pro Bowl last season before reaching this new deal that puts Purdy in the top 10 in quarterback contracts. Advertisement After several lengthy contract disputes in recent years, the Niners got this deal done with Purdy with no drama. He reported to the start of the offseason program and now has his new contract before on-field practices start later this month. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Purdy's journey from the final pick of the 2022 draft to agreeing to this new contract has been a remarkable one that saw him take over as the starter late in his rookie season, become an MVP finalist on the way to leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2023 and then solidifying his position last season. Purdy's success helped rescue the Niners from a potentially catastrophic mistake after they traded three first-round picks to draft Trey Lance third overall in 2021 only to watch him struggle before getting traded in 2023. Advertisement The Niners took Purdy 262nd overall in the 2022 draft — Mr. Irrelevant as the last pick — and even before his first exhibition game as a rookie, coach Kyle Shanahan had told owner Jed York that Purdy was the team's best quarterback. He got the chance to prove that late in his rookie season in 2022 after Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo had gone down with season-ending injuries. Purdy won the final five starts of the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs before suffering a serious injury to his throwing elbow early in an NFC title game loss to Philadelphia that season. But the 108 passer rating, 16 TDs and only four interceptions he had that season proved he was capable as long as he was healthy and he backed that up with a sensational 2023 season. Purdy had one of the most prolific passing seasons in team history when he finished fourth in the NFL in MVP voting. He set a franchise record for yards passing (4,280) and became the first Niners QB in more than two decades to throw at least 30 TD passes (31). Purdy led the NFL with a 113 passer rating and his 9.6 yards per attempt were the most in the NFL for a qualifying QB since Kurt Warner had 9.9 in 2000. He helped lead comeback wins over Green Bay and Detroit in the playoffs before falling short against Kansas City in overtime in the Super Bowl. That success was harder to come by in 2024 as Purdy was hampered by injuries to key offensive players like Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, and Brandon Aiyuk. His passer rating dropped nearly 17 points to 96.1, he had only 20 TD passes and 12 interceptions on the season, and also came up short in several late-game scenarios when the 49ers had a chance for a comeback win. Advertisement Purdy's play was part of a team-wide downturn that led to a 6-11 record and the first missed playoff appearance for San Francisco since 2020. But he didn't lose the support of Shanahan, York or general manager John Lynch, who all expressed a strong desire to make sure Purdy remained the team's long-term answer at quarterback.
Associated Press
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Brock Purdy agrees to 5-year, $265 million extension with the 49ers, AP source says
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $265 million with the San Francisco 49ers, going from the NFL's biggest bargain to one of the league's highest-paid players. A person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press that the sides reached agreement Friday on the contract that includes $181 million in total guarantees. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced the deal yet. NFL Network first reported the deal. Purdy has made less than $1 million a year for his first three seasons and was set to get a small raise in 2025 to about $5.2 million under the league's proven performance escalator for making the Pro Bowl last season before reaching this new deal that puts Purdy in the top 10 in quarterback contracts. After several lengthy contract disputes in recent years, the Niners got this deal done with Purdy with no drama. He reported to the start of the offseason program and now has his new contract before on-field practices start later this month. Purdy's journey from the final pick of the 2022 draft to agreeing to this new contract has been a remarkable one that saw him take over as starter late in his rookie season, become an MVP finalist on the way to leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2023 and then solidifying his position last season. Purdy's success helped rescue the Niners from a potentially catastrophic mistake after they traded three first-round picks to draft Trey Lance third overall in 2021 only to watch him struggle before getting traded away in 2023. The Niners took Purdy 262nd overall in the 2022 draft — Mr. Irrelevant as the last pick — and even before his first exhibition game as a rookie, coach Kyle Shanahan had told owner Jed York that Purdy was the team's best quarterback. He got the chance to prove that late in his rookie season in 2022 after Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo had gone down with season-ending injuries. Purdy won the final five starts of the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs before suffering a serious injury to his throwing elbow early in an NFC title game loss to Philadelphia that season. But the 108 passer rating, 16 TDs and only four interceptions he had that season proved he was capable as long as he was healthy and he backed that up with a sensational 2023 season. Purdy had one of the most prolific passing seasons in team history when he finished fourth in the NFL in MVP voting. He set a franchise record for yards passing (4,280) and became the first Niners QB in more than two decades to throw at least 30 TD passes (31). Purdy led the NFL with a 113 passer rating and his 9.6 yards per attempt were the most in the NFL for a qualifying QB since Kurt Warner had 9.9 in 2000. He helped lead comeback wins over Green Bay and Detroit in the playoffs before falling short against Kansas City in overtime in the Super Bowl. That success was harder to come by in 2024 as Purdy was hampered by injuries to key offensive players like Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams and Brandon Aiyuk. His passer rating dropped nearly 17 points to 96.1, he had only 20 TD passes and 12 interceptions on the season, and also came up short in several late-game scenarios when the 49ers had a chance for a comeback win. Purdy's play was part of a team-wide downturn that led to a 6-11 record and the first missed playoff appearance for San Francisco since 2020. But he didn't lose the support of Shanahan, York or general manager John Lynch, who all expressed a strong desire to make sure Purdy remained the team's long-term answer at quarterback. ___ AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report ___ AP NFL:
New York Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Brock Purdy, 49ers agree to 5-year contract extension: Sources
Brock Purdy has gone from Mr. Irrelevant to Mr. Moneybags. Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers on Friday agreed to terms on a five-year, $265 million contract extension that makes him the wealthiest player in franchise history, league sources told to The Athletic. For perspective, the 49ers gave their former quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, a five-year, $137.5 million deal in 2018 that briefly made Garoppolo the highest paid player in the NFL. The timing of Purdy's extension also stands in stark contrast with recent big-money deals the 49ers made with top players like Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams — deals that weren't completed until just before Week 1 and bled into the 2024 regular season. Purdy can now lead the 49ers through its offseason program without the contract issue looming over him and the team GO DEEPER Offseason shadow: 49ers' Purdy, Pearsall to make up for lost time The 49ers acquired Purdy, 25, with the last pick in the 2022 draft – No. 262 overall, which dubbed him 'Mr. Irrelevant' – with the thought he might have some value as a backup quarterback. At the time, the roster included Garoppolo, Trey Lance, whom the team drafted No. 3 overall a year earlier, and Nate Sudfeld, a free-agent pick everyone expected would be the top backup that season. Advertisement By the end of training camp, the fast-starting Purdy had already passed Sudfeld on the depth chart. And following injuries to Lance and Garoppolo, Purdy got his first extensive action early in a Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins. Garoppolo had been playing well at the time, the offensive was humming and the 49ers were on a four-game winning streak. When Garoppolo left the field in the first quarter with a serious ankle injury, Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers worried that the season was is peril. However, the offense didn't skip a beat with a rookie at the helm. Against a blitz-heavy defense, Purdy completed 68 percent of his passes, threw for two touchdowns and the 49ers beat the Dolphins 33-17. It was the start of a three-game stretch that convinced Shanahan that not only could the 49ers get to the playoffs under Purdy but that he may just be the quarterback the head coach had been seeking since arriving in San Francisco in 2017. Purdy was even better in his first-ever start the following week, out-dueling Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and throwing two touchdowns and running for another by halftime. He suffered broken ribs while diving for a first down in the Buccaneers game, an injury that put his next start — on Thursday night in Seattle — in jeopardy. Purdy didn't attempt a single pass during the abbreviated week of practice and quickly shut down his pre-game warm-up due to the searing pain in his left side. Shanahan thought he would have to tap just-signed Josh Johnson for the nationally televised game and started changing the scripted plays. 'Brock goes to throw a ball and it's, 'Oh, s—!'' Shanahan recalled. 'And then we go into the locker room where we have 15 minutes. I start looking at my openers. And no one's around, and I start changing the plays. Because I realize that Brock's not going to be able to do it.' Advertisement Purdy, however, took a pain blocker, started feeling better and then efficiently guided the 49ers to a 21-13 win that assured them the NFC West title. The toughness and dependability Purdy showed in the loud, hostile stadium also won over his teammates and the coaching staff. 'To go out and perform the way that he did under all those stressors and all the unknowns — that was really eye-opening to me,' quarterbacks coach Brian Griese said. 'I think the rest of the offense — and really the entire roster — kind of resonated around him that night, and it certainly helped him as the rest of the season went on, too. Because now the guys in the locker room know exactly what they're getting in him.' In the 2023 season — his first full season as the starter — Purdy helped guide the 49ers to another NFC West title and a trip to Super Bowl LVIII. Following a season that saw him lead the league in quarterback rating (113.0), rank third in touchdown passes (31) and fifth in passing yards (4,280), Purdy finished fourth in MVP voting. GO DEEPER 49ers' Kyle Shanahan on next defensive coordinator, plans for Brock Purdy, Deebo Samuel That said, Purdy is not without flaws. While he's missed just two starts due to injury in two and a half seasons, he's suffered an assortment of injuries along the way, including to his ribs, head (concussion) and shoulder. An elbow injury in January 2023 knocked him out of the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles and took most of the following offseason to heal. Meanwhile, the lack of size and arm strength that caused him to fall to the end of the seventh round have been problematic at times, especially in rain or snow games in which his passer rating — a strong 110.7 in good weather — plummets to 55.9. His interception rate, which already is on the high side among starting quarterbacks, inched up during a difficult 2024 season. Still, Purdy also dealt with major obstacles during the recent season, especially the losses of No. 1 receiver Aiyuk in Week 7 to a torn ACL and MCL and running back Christian McCaffrey to Achilles and knee injuries. McCaffrey appeared in only four games and said he only started to feel like himself in his final contest, against Buffalo, in which he injured his knee in the second quarter. Advertisement For some, Purdy's 2024 performance — he finished 10th in the NFL with 3,864 passing yards despite missing two starts — was more of an achievement than a black mark on his resume. 'I've loved these three years with Brock,' Shanahan said in January. 'He's a guy I've got a lot of confidence in just as a human, but it starts with what he's done in the field these last two and a half years and capable of winning a Super Bowl with him. We just almost did. And I know he is capable of getting the Niners a Super Bowl in the future.'
