With Brock Purdy still rehabbing from a turf toe injury, it is likely that we will see Mac Jones as the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7. And based on the way that each has performed in their most recent games, there are some who believe that Jones should keep the job even when Purdy is healthy.
Do The 49ers Have A QB Controversy?
There is very little chance that the 49ers would bench Brock Purdy. After qualifying for the Pro Bowl and finishing 4th in MVP voting in 2023, the young quarterback earned the trust of his coaching staff. He was named the starter of the future, and the team invested in Purdy by handing him a five-year contract worth $265 million this past summer.
He simply hasn’t played enough since signing that deal to warrant a benching. But with the 49ers heavily in win-now mode, Purdy’s recent production has come into question with a portion of the team’s fan base.
#49ers Mac Jones is more likely start Sunday than Brock Purdy, per @RapSheet
The team does not want Purdy to suffer another relapse or another injury. pic.twitter.com/4rQgCoEkFm
— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) October 16, 2025
Since Week 15 of last season, Brock Purdy has started five games for the 49ers. He has thrown eight interceptions over that span, and has posted a record of 1-4. In his most recent game, San Francisco’s Week 4 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Purdy completed less than 58% of his passes, and threw two crucial interceptions in a 49ers loss.
Jones, on the other hand, has been playing well, especially this season with San Francisco. Including the final three games of least season as a member of the Jaguars, Jones has thrown 10 touchdowns to 4 interceptions in his last seven starts, and his teams are 5-3 in that time. He has thrown for 275+ yards in each of his four starts so far in 2025, and showed notable toughness in the Week 5 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
Mac Jones In Line To Start Again This Week
There were reports that Brock Purdy had progressed in his rehabilitation earlier in the week. But after Thursday’s practice, it is more likely that Mac Jones will indeed be under center for Sunday night’s prime time game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Chris Broussard on a possible Brock Purdy and Mac Jones QB controversy:
“I do think Purdy is better and when he’s fully heathy, get him back in there. I wouldn’t rush him just because of the team’s health situation right now, there’s no need to rush him back… It’s not going to… pic.twitter.com/ZgmEJUtkHo
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) October 16, 2025
It was assumed that the 49ers rushed Purdy back previously, which contributed to his lackluster Week 4 performance, and they aren’t in a hurry to make that mistake again.
As it stands on Thursday afternoon, San Francisco is listed as a 2.5-point betting favorite when they host Atlanta this weekend.
