Jones appeared in 11 games and made eight starts during his first year with the 49ers, throwing for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. However, it's not just his performance on the field that has earned him admiration inside the locker room. Jones' upbeat personality and natural ability to connect with teammates have made him one of the most popular players on the roster.
"He's a juice guy. He's got all the energy in the world, and he loves life," tight end George Kittle said this week on the Up & Adams Show. "Your quarterback's not usually the glue guy, and Mac Jones is a glue guy. It's usually like an offensive lineman, a tight end, maybe a D-lineman. There's usually one guy that the entire team loves, like one or two. It's not usually a quarterback.
"That's Mac Jones. He goes everywhere with the boys. You invite him to do anything, he's there. Like a group of guys are like, 'Hey, we're gonna go to San Francisco for the weekend. Mac, do you want to come up for that?' And he goes, 'I'm there.' 'Hey Mac, we're going to Vegas, you want to come with?' 'I'm there.'"
Kittle emphasized that while Jones enjoys spending time with his teammates, he is also one of the hardest-working players on the team. The veteran quarterback proved he could perform when called upon, posting a 5-3 record in his eight starts last season and helping keep the 49ers in the playoff hunt while Brock Purdy recovered from a turf toe injury.
"So, the fact that you have a guy like that who can play at a high level, wants to stay, be on the team, and he's a glue guy, I have nothing but green flags to say about Mac Jones, and he's a 10 out of 10," Kittle added.
Jones appreciated the praise and responded on social media, writing, "Thanks, Georgie. Send me your Venmo, I'll get you that PR consultant retainer fee sent over shortly."
Jones was the subject of considerable trade speculation throughout the offseason, with some believing the 49ers could move the quarterback before or during the NFL Draft. Instead, San Francisco retained him, and he appears set to enter the 2026 season as Purdy's primary backup.
With Jones providing proven experience behind their starter, the 49ers have one of the NFL's more reliable backup quarterback situations heading into the new season.
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