49ers Start Mac Jones Amid Brock Purdy Injury Challenges

Mac Jones will start again for the San Francisco 49ers after Brock Purdy was ruled out with a lingering turf-toe injury, his fourth straight absence and sixth missed game this season. Jones has gone 4-1 as the 49ers’ starter, averaging roughly 280.8 yards per start with about a 67% completion rate and six touchdowns versus four interceptions (1,404 yards total through these starts). Analytical work shows Jones is elite against zone coverage—ranking with the likes of Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes—but struggles significantly against man coverage, a split that is amplified by personnel differences compared with Purdy. In Sunday’s 26-15 loss to the Texans Jones completed 19 of 32 passes, threw two late touchdown passes and an interception, and was hamstrung early by a poor start and a time-of-possession disadvantage. Jones says he prepares as the starter while acknowledging the role is temporary; coaches will continue to manage Purdy’s recovery while relying on weapons such as Christian McCaffrey, Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne and George Kittle when available.