San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones is proving to be a resilient and gritty presence on the field. Despite dealing with injuries this season, Jones has remained available for the offense while Brock Purdy continues to recover from a turf toe injury. It's a big reason why the 49ers are 6-3 at this point in the season.
Jones has taken his share of big hits in games, but consistently gets back up and pushes forward, demonstrating the toughness that 49ers fans and teammates have come to admire.
On Thursday, tight end George Kittle joked about Jones' willingness to absorb punishment, suggesting the quarterback might even be overly dramatic about it sometimes.
"I think he's doing it intentionally now," Kittle said jokingly. "I think that's kind of what it seems like. He's just getting mildly banged up on purpose because it looks cool."
Switching to a more serious tone, Kittle praised Jones' grit and durability.
"It's awesome," Kittle said. "When you have a guy that takes hits, and just gets back up, and gets back up, and then performs at a high level, that's what you want in a football player, and that's what you want in a teammate."
Jones acknowledged the recognition from his teammates and the respect it represents.
"Yeah, it means a lot," Jones said. "That's a big reason why I play, to be honest, is to get the respect of people that I trust and people that I would take an opinion from. So, I try to show that every day. I have to continue to do that. It's not a one-game thing, so I want to show it for the whole season. And that's my goal."