The San Francisco 49ers notched their fifth victory of the season with a 20-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium, and quarterback Mac Jones walked away with more than just another "W."
Sunday's win marked Jones' fifth start and fourth victory as San Francisco's starter. According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the latest win triggered a $400,000 incentive bonus in Jones' contract. Even better for the veteran, he'll earn an additional $100,000 for every win moving forward—a bonus structure that could keep paying out if Brock Purdy remains sidelined.
Huge win for the depleted #49ers and QB Mac Jones, who earns a cool $400,000 incentive for his fourth win (and $100K for each one after this).
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 20, 2025
Jones signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the 49ers in the offseason to serve as Purdy's backup. That investment has already paid off for San Francisco, as Purdy has appeared in just two games this season after suffering a toe injury in Week 1 and re-aggravating it in Week 4.
There's optimism that Purdy could return next week against the Houston Texans, but with Jones holding a 4-1 record as a starter, the 49ers can afford to be patient and let Purdy fully recover.
Mac Jones proving his toughness
Jones has earned respect in the locker room for his grit and leadership during his time as San Francisco's starter.
"I've played with a lot of tough players and watched a lot of tough quarterbacks play in front of me, whether that was in college or whatever," Jones said after the game. "Just learned it. I think it rubs off on the team, and I feel like if you're able to play and you can protect yourself, you should be out there. So, that's what it's all about.
"And those guys (the offensive linemen) are getting hit every play. So, they have it much worse than I do, and they did a good job this evening, keeping me upright, and the only big hit I took was when I had to tackle the guy on the interception. So, other than that, I feel good. It is definitely part of my DNA, though."
With the win, the 49ers improved to 5-2, staying tied with the Los Angeles Rams for first place in the NFC West. However, San Francisco does benefit from having already beaten Los Angeles this season.