QB Mac Jones coached laborious by 49ers in try to revive profession

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After an early June organized staff exercise, new San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones walked to a podium within the bowels of Levi’s Stadium and answered questions for about 11 minutes.

As Jones patiently responded to queries about the whole lot from how he was practically picked by the Niners within the 2021 NFL draft to why he believes coach Kyle Shanahan can get his profession again on observe, one thing was clearly nagging him.

On the follow subject moments earlier, Jones had struggled, throwing an interception on to cornerback Derrick Canteen and lacking a handful of open receivers, together with an overthrow to rookie wideout Jordan Watkins on a deep ball.

All through his media session, Jones alluded to his misfires on a number of events, opening a window into the very first thing that he and the 49ers should repair as he steps into the No. 2 quarterback function behind Brock Purdy: rebuilding his means to belief what he sees and lower it free.

“My purpose is to essentially simply have nice makes an attempt like, , is the ball imagined to go there?” Jones mentioned. “And whether it is, then let it fly and be dedicated to it. Typically while you watch my movie, it wasn’t a full dedication throw and I wish to get higher at that. … That is the entire level of soccer is to attempt these throws, study from them, after which while you get to the sport you may say, ‘Hey, I can do that,’ or ‘I’ll examine this one down, , I am making an attempt to guard the ball.’ So, I’ve discovered the laborious method in a method.”

Certainly, Jones has taken a much more circuitous path to the pink and gold of the 49ers than many observers would have anticipated when he entered the NFL out of Alabama in 2021. On the time, the Niners despatched a trio of first-round picks and extra to the Miami Dolphins to maneuver from No. 12 to No. 3 to pick out their franchise quarterback.

Though Jones was broadly thought to be the seemingly alternative for many of the run-up to that draft, the Niners finally chosen North Dakota State’s Trey Lance. Jones tumbled to the New England Patriots with the fifteenth decide.

Because it turned out, neither Lance nor Jones could be the long-term reply for the Niners or Patriots, respectively, and each groups shortly moved on to different choices. Jones was shipped to Jacksonville after a promising rookie season (56.9 QBR) gave approach to a pair of disappointing years through which he posted QBRs of 38.4 in 2022 and 37.5 in 2023.

That one-year cease with the Jaguars supplied Jones seven beginning alternatives, with Trevor Lawrence injured, however he did not present many indicators of enchancment, posting a 39.8 QBR.

Jones set off into free company for the primary time in March and went looking for an opportunity to play for a coach who has a observe report of compressing probably the most from his quarterbacks.

Shanahan was the plain alternative in what felt for each side like a pairing that was at all times going to occur in some unspecified time in the future. On the outset of free company, Jones and Shanahan texted, with Jones even joking that the pair “received in an enormous struggle” over the Niners’ unique draft choice.

“The world works in mysterious methods,” Jones mentioned, laughing. “I am glad to be again right here and studying from a fantastic group of men, and that is gamers and coaches. So, you go the place you go within the draft, proper? You aren’t getting lots of alternative over that, however I am positively excited to be right here now.”

Upon arrival in San Francisco, Jones went via an intensive course targeted on fixing his fundamentals. For 3 weeks, Shanahan, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak and quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi went via cutups of Jones’ earlier movie, in addition to tape of different sign callers exhibiting Jones issues just like the footwork wanted to achieve the offense.

“To look at him undergo these three weeks engaged on some method issues and simply how we see soccer, I am hoping it helps him and he enjoys it,” Shanahan mentioned.

Tough follow days apart, having fun with his new place of employment hasn’t been an issue for Jones so far. He is made it clear that he likes being coached laborious and that he is craved the problem that Shanahan and his employees have put earlier than him.

Jones’ likelihood to study the fundamentals of Shanahan’s offense extends past the teaching employees.

In one other fateful twist, when he was a younger participant at Alabama, Jones as soon as performed host for a recruiting go to by a younger quarterback named Purdy. The pair spent that evening in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, hanging out and enjoying video video games, and although Purdy finally opted for Iowa State, Jones has loved watching Purdy develop into the quarterback who not too long ago signed a five-year, $265 million contract extension with the 49ers.

For Jones, Purdy gives a every day reminder of how creating in the correct place with the correct teaching employees will pay large dividends.

Earlier than signing with the Niners, Jones additionally famous the ascent of Sam Darnold, one other former excessive draft decide who struggled elsewhere, went to San Francisco and has since loved success with the Minnesota Vikings and signed a large free agent take care of the Seattle Seahawks.

Regardless of Jones’ struggles elsewhere, the 49ers nonetheless see comparable potential in him.

“He is received lots of traits that we like for a beginning quarterback,” Kubiak mentioned. “His profession has sort of gone up and down a little bit bit the previous couple years, however we noticed the identical issues in Jacksonville that we cherished about him as a university prospect, and that actually excites us… I feel Mac’s able to being a starter on this league.”

For that to occur, Jones goes to need to rebuild from the bottom up, beginning together with his confidence. Jones says it is essential for him to acknowledge what he may have finished higher in earlier stops, and he intends to make use of these “scars” as motivation to enhance.

In San Francisco, he is the clear backup behind the unquestioned starter in Purdy. Whether or not he performs or not stays to be seen, although Purdy did miss a pair of video games resulting from harm in 2024.

And if Jones must step in, Shanahan does not need him to lament the interceptions thrown in follow or OTAs however keep in mind these errors so he does not make them once more when it actually counts.

“[If] you undergo all these practices and also you by no means throw a decide, you are in all probability not getting higher,” Shanahan mentioned. “It is laborious while you get in that stadium and issues like that. Not solely are you getting hit for the primary time, however now all that stuff counts and in the event you do not let it rip and undergo all that in follow, you are not going to get any higher within the video games after which it is often a matter of time earlier than somebody passes you up.”