When Mac Jones landed in San Francisco this offseason, it almost felt like unfinished business. “The world works in mysterious ways,” he said in July, flashing a smile as he recalled the Niners’ 2021 draft drama – the one where they traded up and almost took him… until they didn’t. Four years, two teams, and one messy Jacksonville detour later, he finally got his Kyle Shanahan moment. “I’m glad to be back here and learning from a great group of guys,” he added. It sounded like a man ready to rewrite a chapter that’s haunted him since college.

But the happy reunion didn’t start with fireworks. Just minutes before that press conference, Mac Jones had sprayed passes all over the OTA field like a busted lawn sprinkler – missing wideouts, floating one straight to cornerback Derrick Canteen, and overthrowing rookie Jordan Watkins on a deep shot. He didn’t dodge it, either. “Sometimes when you watch my film, it wasn’t a full commitment throw,” he said. “And I want to get better at that.” That moment said it all: a QB owning his flaws, knowing full well this Niners stint might be his last real shot at redemption.

Fast forward a few weeks, and that same QB – the one second-guessing his reads – was suddenly front and center in San Francisco’s offense. With Brock Purdy excused from Friday’s practice due to a personal matter, Jones was handed a bigger slice of the spotlight – and he didn’t flinch. He took first-team reps and completed 10 of 16 passes, including a couple of smart sideline throws. There was one interception – Ji’Ayir Brown read his eyes and housed it – but for a QB still learning the system, the poise was hard to miss. What’s flipping heads isn’t just the accuracy – it’s the command.

Shanahan’s offense is notoriously brutal on new quarterbacks, yet Mac Jones is starting to settle in. He’s ripping it when it’s there, checking down when it’s not. And most importantly, not melting when the defense tightens up. Even after Brown’s pick-six, Jones bounced back with a sharp ball to Chris Conley on an out route. “My goal is to really just have great attempts like, you know, is the ball supposed to go there?” he had said earlier. On Friday, it showed.

And it couldn’t have come at a better time. With rookie Kurtis Rourke still on the non-football injury list and Tanner Mordecai throwing picks of his own, this was Jones’s shot to prove he’s more than a clipboard-holder behind Purdy. His leash might still be short, but his training camp showing stretched it a little. And in this offense? That little could be massive. But let’s not get it twisted – this is still Brock Purdy’s team.

Brock Purdy prepped all offseason, then missed a key day

Let’s get this straight – Purdy didn’t vanish because he wasn’t locked in. Quite the opposite. Just four days before his Friday absence, he talked with reporters and broke down every inch of his offseason prep. From working with NFL-caliber tight ends like George Kittle in Florida to fine-tuning deep-ball mechanics and sideline throws, Purdy had been treating this camp like a mission. “You know, I got my guys in Florida and their whole training program and stuff that they do for quarterbacks. So just sticking to that,” he said. “It was really nice to get working with NFL-caliber tight ends… throwing the moving targets and stuff like that.” The man wasn’t easing into 2025 – he was dialing up.

So when he missed Friday’s session for personal reasons, it was not injury-related. Reportedly, Purdy is welcoming a new member into his family. The team didn’t panic, but it did force the spotlight elsewhere. With rookie Rourke still sidelined and only Mac Jones and Mordecai available, the depth chart suddenly looked… light. And on top of that, WR Jacob Cowing missed his second straight day with a hamstring tweak, and breakout corner Renardo Green limped off late after locking down passes all day. Safe to say, the ‘Brockless’ day wasn’t exactly smooth sailing.

Still, the show rolled on. Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams powered through team drills. But the biggest takeaway? With Purdy absent – even temporarily – the 49ers had to rely on a retooling Mac Jones. And to his credit, he didn’t just survive the moment. He leaned into it. The franchise may belong to Purdy, but Friday was a reminder: in this league, all it takes is one day for the backup to make things…interesting.