San Francisco is buzzing with two big questions right now. First, can Mac Jones keep the momentum going and lead the franchise to a perfect 4-0 record this Sunday? But before that, the big question remains: Who will the Niners choose as their starter, Jones or Brock Purdy?

On 95.7 The Game, Hall of Fame QB Steve Young threw a wrench into the swirling rumors. Young was asked directly whether the 49ers should stick with Jones while winning, or revert to Brock once healthy. 

“I think odds are very much so that Brock is in a place where he’s going to be able to play, and Mac will probably be forced to go somewhere else. And that’s probably the odds-on situation,” Young noted.

Translation: the writing might be on the wall for Jones unless he’s ready to pack his bags. Jones has been no slouch. In fact, his performances while Purdy’s sidelined have been impressive. He’s leading the team to three straight wins, including a 342-yard, two-touchdown overtime thriller against the Los Angeles Rams. 

CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz has confirmed that Purdy remains the first-choice quarterback. The guy who already has a Super Bowl ring under his belt.  

Once his toe gets sorted, he’s expected back under center. Jones has a shaky past that raises eyebrows; his 2-5 record last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars isn’t the kind of backup plan that screams ‘future starter.’

But Jones is at least showing he can play at the NFL level. Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seems tailor-made for him. The Bucs’ defense ranks 29th in red zone efficiency and 24th in touchdown passes allowed. 

A good performance could extend Jones’ hot streak, perhaps buying him some more runway. Yet, it’s clear the 49ers aren’t rushing to make him ‘undroppable.’ This uncertainty has led to rumors about locker room tension.

Lynch clears up QB conflict

Locker room chatter can get blown out of proportion, especially when the QB spot is in flux. 49ers GM John Lynch stepped in recently to clear the air on rumors of tension between Brock Purdy and Mac Jones. 

On KNBR, Lynch praised Purdy’s confidence and humility. “A cool quality about Brock Purdy is he’s one of the most self-assured people in a very humble way,” the GM said.

“It’s hard to explain, but I think it’s one of the things that appealed to us. He’s just very confident in his abilities, but he’s just a good guy. He’s got an incredible amount of humility.”

Lynch was quick to dismiss any imagined drama. “I do wholeheartedly believe that Brock is nothing but happy for our team,” he said. “He’s working his tail off to try to get back, and I think we all feel blessed and fortunate that we found a guy to be our backup.” 

The GM also made it clear that Jones has earned respect, noting the confidence and grit he’s shown from training camp onward. It’s the kind of sports story where everyone is rooting for each other, not tearing each other down.

No timeline exists yet for Purdy’s return, and both signal-callers are nursing bumps. Jones is expected to start again Sunday in Tampa Bay, but the 49ers are watching closely: who leads this team and when will shape the rest of their 2025 charge. For now, Young’s take feels like a blueprint: Brock’s throne isn’t gone, but Mac’s showing he’s no placeholder.