The upcoming NFL season could be crucial for the immediate future of the San Francisco 49ers in the league. Last season, Brock Purdy‘s team failed to even reach the playoffs, a disappointing outcome for such a historic franchise. The addition of former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones to the roster provides the QB with an excellent backup heading into the new season.
In a recent conversation with the media, the quarterback selected by the New England Patriots in the 2021 draft expressed his excitement about playing alongside Purdy on the same roster, someone he’s eager to learn from.
“I know Brock personally and he’s done a great job and played really good football in the NFL, so I’ve been really watching him from afar on game film and stuff and really just want to learn from him and be a sponge,” Jones said via the team website. “And obviously Kyle and his résumé speaks for itself. He’s done a great job in the NFL and he always produces each year and that’s something that I want to be around.”
In addition, Jones expressed his happiness about joining a team with concrete Super Bowl aspirations, one that, in his view, is filled with winners.
“I feel like there’s a lot of good people here, a lot of winners here,” the former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback also added. “So really just wanted to surround myself with winners.”
The relationship between Purdy and Jones
It won’t be the first time that the former Iowa State quarterback and Jones share practice sessions, though it will be their first time officially as teammates on an NFL roster. The player who was Trevor Lawrence’s backup until last season revealed his admiration for Purdy, with whom he shared some training sessions during last offseason.
“He actually trained last offseason in Jacksonville,” Jones stated. “We had a lot of good throwing sessions together. He’s done a great job and he works very hard. You can tell he’s very cerebral and I want to learn from him. You can see, just being in the room with him elevates everybody. If I can help him, [I’m] happy to help, but at the same time I’m here to learn.”
It’s clear that while Jones knows he’ll be backing up Purdy and will support the team in whatever role he’s given, he also admits that his arrival at the San Francisco 49ers is an excellent opportunity to continue growing professionally in his career.