Mac Jones is keen to carve out his own success story.
The former first-round pick, who just wrapped up his first season under coach Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, feels energized about his future. This feeling was shared by former 49ers player Sam Darnold, who is set to take the field as the Seahawks’ starting quarterback in the upcoming Super Bowl.
“Everyone’s journey is entirely unique,” Jones remarked about Darnold. “I think I’ve observed him in interviews, and he definitely picked up a lot from Kyle and [49ers star QB] Brock Purdy. It has really transformed his career. I get it now. I learned so much this year.”
“I believe Sam probably had similar feelings during his time in San Francisco. You can see a lot of overlapping traits in their performances,” he added.
Darnold served as Purdy’s backup in San Francisco throughout the 2023 season before revitalizing his career with the Vikings.
After achieving a 14-3 record with Minnesota, he signed a lucrative three-year, $100 million contract with the Seahawks last offseason.
Before that, Darnold, 28, faced significant challenges and was thought to be done after less than stellar performances with the Jets and Panthers.
Like Darnold, Jones began his NFL career in the AFC East.
The Patriots selected Jones, the 15th overall pick in 2021, and he had a solid debut season with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, leading his team to the playoffs.
However, things took a downturn as New England switched to a dual-coordinator model with Joe Judge and Matt Patricia overseeing the offense in 2022, following the exit of Josh McDaniels.
Bill O’Brien, the former Patriots offensive coordinator, is returning to the team in 2023, coinciding with Jones’ last year in New England.
At 27 years old, Jones was traded to the Jaguars in early 2024, where he backed up Trevor Lawrence through the season. Later, he signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the 49ers.
When the 49ers faced injuries earlier this year, leading to Purdy’s shoulder and toe issues, Jones stepped in. He managed a record of 5-3 with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions over eight games.
“Kyle has been fantastic for me. We have what I call a ‘Wi-Fi connection.’ Everything just clicks,” Jones shared.
Despite the 49ers currently entering the offseason after a disappointing 41-6 loss to the Seahawks in the divisional round, Jones is optimistic about what lies ahead.
“This really fuels my motivation,” he expressed. “I genuinely feel capable. I’m getting back to my best and that matters a lot to me. I can win games for anyone.”
Jones has one more season left on his contract with the 49ers, but it’s rumored that his name has come up in trade discussions concerning the Vikings, who, along with quarterback JJ McCarthy, have had a rocky season.
Jones is well aware that this is all part of the “business” aspect of football.
“Honestly, it is a business. I know how this operates,” he said. “I’ve shown I can be a starter in various settings. I’ve started over 50 games; I know what it entails, but it is also a business. I grasp both sides of that.”
