Mac Jones spoke to reporters this week as the San Francisco 49ers continued their organized team activities (OTAs). The quarterback once believed he might land in San Francisco during the 2021 NFL Draft, but instead, he was selected by the New England Patriots. He spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Now with the 49ers, Jones is embracing the opportunity to learn from head coach Kyle Shanahan and starting quarterback Brock Purdy. He's long admired Shanahan's offensive system from afar and believes that, with hard work, he can thrive in it.
When asked what makes Shanahan's offense so quarterback-friendly, Jones offered insight into why so many passers have found success in the system.
"I think that's definitely a loaded question," Jones said. "I think they do a great job explaining what the expectation of each play is and why they're doing a certain play. And there's nothing left up to doubt, if that makes sense. And everything's based on timing and rhythm and also playing off structure.
"So, it has all three elements of quarterback play. And yeah, it's really interesting to watch it and see how they see the game because it is the correct way to see it. And as you can tell, the quarterback play is very efficient."
This offseason marked Jones' first stint as a free agent, giving him the chance to choose his next destination. He sees San Francisco as the perfect place to reset and grow, even if he's currently positioned behind Purdy on the depth chart. Still, Jones is preparing each week as if he'll get the start.
San Francisco's history of maximizing quarterback performance under Shanahan made the 49ers a highly appealing option.
"Obviously watching Brock from afar, and being a fan from afar, just the way he plays the game, very precise, very on time, cerebral," Jones said. "It's all those things that I've done at some points in my career, and I just want to get more consistent at that.
"So, being here and learning from him and the coaches, not just Kyle, but everybody, all the coaches, I think it's going to really benefit me, just get me back playing how I know I can play, and that's to be ready when I get in there."
Jones also admitted that Sam Darnold's brief tenure in Santa Clara influenced his decision. Darnold revitalized his career with the 49ers, went on to have success with the Minnesota Vikings, and recently landed a lucrative deal with the Seattle Seahawks.
"Like I said, multiple quarterbacks have played in the system really well, and that's the enticing part about it," Jones explained. "And obviously, I'm going to be my own person, and my goal is to be ready when I have to play—or if that comes up.
"And that's all you can do is put your best foot forward every day, learn from every rep you get, and every rep you don't get, being back there, watching Brock, like I talked about. I've had a good OTAs so far, and just have to continue to build on that."