The Jock Blog comes in peace, 49ers fans.
We all know Thursday night at SoFi Stadium was a visceral blast, beating the rival Rams against all odds. You’re on a high, we’re all on a high and Sean McVay’s capri sweatpants are stained with Ram tears.
But there is no need for any of you to start a 49er Quarterback War.
Remember, Earthlings, the Jock Blog comes in peace.
The idea of starting a “Mac Jones In/Brock Purdy Out” campaign is as misguided as a Jake Moody field goal. Wait. That’s a cheap shot. How about we keep it friendly and say it’s as misguided as a Joshua Karty PAT.
I’m as excited as the rest of you over Mac Jones going full Rocky Balboa on the Rams. Banged up knee, tattered uniform, laying on the turf for long stretches, dry heaving — if Hollywood’s own Quentin Tarantino was watching, he probably got a few ideas for his next blood-soaked flick.
It was easily the guttiest performance ever by a guy with a full tennis-playing background and a child-like cackle in every press conference answer.
But there is no need for any of you to start a 49er Quarterback War.
The Jock Blog is fully and totally comfortable with Brock Purdy returning to run the squad when his turf toe heals up. Purdy is also gutty, Purdy is also willing to donate body parts to the cause, Purdy is also popular amongst his teammates and, perhaps most important, Purdy is extraordinarily more mobile than Jones.
What Mac Jones is, is the ultimate and perfect backup QB for the 49ers. And that’s entirely OK and cool and good.
If and when Brock Purdy can’t play — and Purdy’s long-term availability could be a question in the coming weeks — Jones is that guy who can run Kyle Shanahan’s offense just about as fully. In some ways, to be honest, Jones does some things better: he seems to take fewer risks, and his 6-2 5/8” frame is an important two inches taller than Purdy’s, per NFL combine measurements. When a Purdy pass is tipped off the fingertips of an outstretched defensive lineman, you may remember those two inches.
But we can’t let the excitement of Jones’ three wins in three starts make you think it’s time to throw a smoke bomb of controversy into the locker room. Purdy, too, has won many exciting games in his tenure and already this year led a gigantic win at Seattle that may wind up winning the Niners the NFC West. He earned that big contract by winning lots of games, even in the postseason, and being a young, rising talent who became a free agent at the right time.
Maybe some of you are just itching for a 49ers QB controversy because it’s in your blood.
Maybe you want to fight the wars your grandparents fought — when they tell you what it was like to ride with Joe or ride with Steve. Or the wars your parents fought, when they tell you what it was like to ride with Alex or ride with Kap. Or the wars you read about it in the history books with black and white photos from Kezar, when the old historians told you what it was like to ride with Tittle or Brodie.
Here are the facts: the 49ers have both quarterbacks under contract through 2026. That’s a pretty solid guarantee that one of two capable QBs will be under center for the next 29 regular season games through next year. If at the end of 2026, you are feeling some kind of way about one or the other, we can Jock Blog about that then. The 49ers do have an out clause from Purdy’s contract in April 2027, but why would I bring up such a controversial clause when the Jock Blog comes in peace?
Brock Purdy is QB1. He’s proven it and earned it. Mac Jones is the best QB2 the 49ers have had maybe in Kyle’s entire tenure. He’s in the process of proving that and earning that.
So let’s just get back to laughing heartily at Ram misfortune and let the SoFi janitors clean up all that red and gold confetti at Levi’s South. That’s something we can all agree on.
