The San Francisco 49ers secured a thrilling 16-15 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but the win came with a new quarterback injury concern.
With Brock Purdy inactive in Week 3 while recovering from a toe injury suffered in the season opener, Mac Jones stepped in as the 49ers' starter for the second straight game—and he didn't escape unscathed.
Jones revealed after the game that he re-aggravated a knee sprain he initially suffered in August. The 49ers quarterback admitted the injury affected his play, but he managed to finish the contest, wearing a brace over his left knee in the fourth quarter.
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"Yeah, so I had a little injury that I just re-aggravated, and I'm good," Jones said postgame. "I took the brace off because I wasn't moving around very well, and then put it back on after that. But yeah, I felt like it affected my play a little bit, which I was disappointed about.
"I could have just been tougher. It was affecting my reads and everything. So anyways, finished the game out and just going to do treatment, and I should be good."
Despite the setback, Jones delivered when it mattered most, completing 27 of 41 passes for 284 yards, a touchdown, and one interception. He orchestrated an impressive final drive, setting up kicker Eddy Piñeiro for the 35-yard game-winning field goal as time expired.
If Jones' injury lingers, the 49ers could find relief in Purdy. The starter returned to practice last week as a limited participant, and reports indicate the team is optimistic about his recovery. Purdy could be ready to start next Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
San Francisco will continue to monitor Jones' knee in the coming days, but his toughness and clutch performance helped the 49ers improve to 3-0 on the season, taking over sole possession of first place in the NFC West.
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