Bhan-INSIDE THE FILM ROOM: What 49ers QB Brock Purdy Must Learn From Mac Jones — Analysts Reveal the Surprising Traits and Tough Lessons That Could Decide Whether Purdy Becomes a Franchise Legend or Just Another NFL Footnote.
Quite the fuss was made about the San Francisco 49ers in the offseason when an army of players walked in free agency.
It was only exacerbated when the 49ers barely added any free agents to circumvent some of those losses. To some, it was a signal that the 49ers were looking at 2025 as a rebuild.
However, despite not adding many players in the offseason, the 49ers did add a few quality players. Mac Jones is proving to be one of those quality players, if not the best one added.
He’s helped lead the 49ers to a 4-1 record, which is amazing. But there is one facet of his game that Brock Purdy must learn from for Purdy to be successful.
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Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) drops back to pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
What’s even more impressive is the 49ers’ offense has been at it’s best with Jones.
That’s mainly because Jones doesn’t hold onto the football for long. The timer in his head is stellar, which is something Brock Purdy needs to learn from.
Against the Rams, Jones’ time to throw average was 2.56 seconds. His season average is 2.69 seconds. Purdy’s, on the other hand, is 3.04 seconds.
It’s no wonder Purdy receives so much pressure. He’s not doing his offensive line a favor by getting rid of the ball in a timely manner.
Jones understands that he’s physically limited, so he ensures to release the ball promptly. It helps sustain drives by keeping the offense in rhythm.
Quarterbacks play a game of hot potato on every drop-back. The longer they hold onto the ball, the worse it’s going to get for them.
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If Purdy picks up on that, he will return to being a solid quarterback again. And if he does, it will only further cement Jones as the 49ers’ best offseason addition.
Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) reacts after the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Jones has already done more than enough for the 49ers. Asking a backup quarterback to win one game is usually a tall task.
But not only has Jones done it once, he’s done it three times. His latest performance, which helped the 49ers defeat the Los Angeles Rams in overtime, was nothing short of stupendous.
Jones completed 33 of 49 pass attempts for 342 yards and two touchdowns. He didn’t turn over the ball either. He did all of that while battling through a knee injury for half of the game.
No one should ever question Jones’ toughness. This is why it won’t matter if he stumbles and loses games the rest of the season.
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