After a season where Mac Jones saved the 49ers‘ playoff hopes, he now finds himself at a career crossroads. His success has made him a valuable asset, but it also complicates his desire to stay in the very system that revived his career, forcing a difficult business decision for both him and the team. With Brock Purdy healthy again, Jones confirmed whether he would like to leave San Francisco.

“I signed a two-year deal here, and I’ve absolutely loved it,” Mac Jones said recently on the Monday Mornings with Mitch podcast. “So, I got that joy back that I was looking for. Like, I talked about the PhD in football, I truly believe I got it this year. Things I didn’t think I knew, but I didn’t know yet. And Kyle [Shanahan] helped me find that. So, I’m looking forward to doing it again next year.”

“But, as you know, it’s a business, and they have to make a business decision, and I have to too,” Jones added. “And I love the 49ers. So, if I’m here, I’m going to be happy, and if something happens, let me know what I can do. I proved that this year.”

The 49ers’ calculated gamble on Jones involved a two-year, $8.41 million deal that included $4.75 million guaranteed in 2025. At the time, some questioned the move as he was coming off a disappointing 2024 campaign in Jacksonville, where he threw for 1,672 yards, 8 TDs, and eight INTs in 10 games. But the 49ers bet that Shanahan’s offensive system could unlock the potential that made Jones a first-round pick, a gamble that paid off.

After bouncing between the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars over three seasons and posting QB ratings of 38.4, 37.5, and 36.6, Jones found stability in San Francisco. In 2025, while playing under Shanahan, Jones posted a 62.3 QBR and threw for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 11 games. Jones also credited his resurgence to his relationship with Shanahan.

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“Kyle and I, we just have a great relationship,” Mac Jones said. “He wanted me to be here with them when I was coming out of the draft, and obviously, it went differently. But like that’s what it’s all about – reconnecting with people that either have seen value in you or whatnot. And I don’t know, I just heard stories about him. Like Brian Hoyer used to be my backup in New England, and just hearing the stories about Kyle and how he sees the run game, the pass game, running the team meetings, and it was just interesting.”

“Finally, I got to see it this year, and that was just awesome,” Jones added. “So, if I have to, obviously, be here like great.”

This reunion was years in the making; back in 2021, Kyle Shanahan actually considered drafting Mac Jones before the 49ers ultimately selected QB Trey Lance with three first-round picks. But Lance struggled to gain traction in San Francisco, throwing for just 797 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions across two seasons. Meanwhile, San Francisco later found its franchise QB in Purdy, and fate brought Jones and Shanahan together anyway, just later than expected.

Now, Mac Jones seems genuinely comfortable in his role in San Francisco, even if it means serving as a high-end backup. But as Jones also acknowledged the NFL’s transactional nature, the ball now seems to be in Shanahan’s court to decide the fate of the QB. 

Kyle Shanahan decides on Mac Jones’ future in San Francisco

In a volatile quarterback market, steady options like Mac Jones are valuable commodities. He’s a former first-round pick who struggled early, recalibrated in the right system under Kyle Shanahan, and now looks far more composed. Jones’s profile is exactly the kind that draws interest from NFL teams. Despite the trade chatter, Shanahan appears to have shut the door on moving on from Jones – at least for now.

“As any player on our team, including myself and [general manager] John [Lynch], you always listen to people and trade offers,” Shanahan said in the end-of-season presser on January 21. “But we’re also not into getting rid of good players. So I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”

Despite Shanahan having no plans to trade his backup QB in this offseason, CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan recently suggested that Jones could command significant trade value. After all, Jones’ case is similar to that of QB Sam Darnold, who revived his career in the right system and recently led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl win. 

Ultimately, if Mac Jones can replicate his 2025 season performance, his value will only climb. That gives Shanahan flexibility as he can keep an elite backup QB like Jones or flip him for premium draft capital if the right offer surfaces. For now, though, Shanahan seems content to have Jones on the roster moving into the 2026 season.