What Happened to Michael McCorkle "Mac" Jones?
Mac Jones, a former first-round NFL draft pick, experienced a promising rookie season with the New England Patriots before a decline in performance led to his trade to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. After a single season as a backup and spot-starter, he signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2025, where he served as a valuable backup, making eight starts due to injury. As of June 2026, Jones remains with the 49ers, having restructured his contract, and is content in his current role despite ongoing trade speculation.
Quick Answer
Mac Jones is currently a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, serving as the primary backup to Brock Purdy. After being drafted by the New England Patriots in 2021 and making the Pro Bowl as a rookie, his performance declined, leading to a trade to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. In 2025, he signed with the 49ers and performed well in eight starts while Purdy was injured. As of June 2026, Jones's contract was restructured, and he has publicly stated his contentment with his role in San Francisco, despite being a frequent subject of trade rumors.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline12 events
Born in Jacksonville, Florida
Michael McCorkle 'Mac' Jones was born in Jacksonville, Florida.
Record-Setting College Season at Alabama
As a junior at the University of Alabama, Jones set NCAA season records for passer rating (203.1) and completion percentage (77.4%), leading the Crimson Tide to the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Drafted by New England Patriots
Jones was selected by the New England Patriots as the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Pro Bowl Rookie Season
He had a successful rookie season, leading the Patriots to a playoff berth with 3,801 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl honors.
Performance Decline and Benchings
Jones experienced a significant decline in performance over his second and third seasons with the Patriots, marked by coaching changes and eventually being benched multiple times during the 2023 season.
Traded to Jacksonville Jaguars
The Patriots traded Jones to his hometown team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round draft pick.
Jaguars Decline Fifth-Year Option
The Jacksonville Jaguars declined the fifth-year option on Jones's rookie contract, making him a free agent after the 2024 season.
Backup and Spot-Starter for Jaguars
Jones served as the backup to Trevor Lawrence and started seven games due to Lawrence's injury, finishing the season with 1,672 passing yards, 8 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions in 10 appearances.
Signs with San Francisco 49ers
Jones signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers, reportedly to work under head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Valuable Backup for 49ers
As Brock Purdy's backup, Jones started eight games due to Purdy's injury, leading the 49ers to a 5-3 record and completing 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.
49ers Contract Restructure
Jones agreed to a revised contract with the 49ers for the 2026 season, including a $300,000 roster bonus, a $3.55 million base salary, and up to $2.25 million in incentives. He is set to become a free agent in March 2027.
Content with 49ers Backup Role
Despite ongoing trade rumors, Jones publicly stated his contentment with his current role as Brock Purdy's backup in San Francisco, expressing his appreciation for the organization.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Mac Jones's professional football journey began with high expectations after a stellar college career at Alabama, where he led the Crimson Tide to a National Championship in 2021 (for the 2020 season) and set NCAA records for passer rating and completion percentage. He was selected 15th overall by the New England Patriots in the 2021 NFL Draft and quickly impressed, earning Pro Bowl honors in his rookie season after throwing for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns, leading the Patriots to a playoff berth.
However, Jones's tenure in New England quickly soured. The 2022 and 2023 seasons saw a significant regression in his performance, marked by coaching changes, offensive struggles, and ultimately, his benching in favor of Bailey Zappe during the 2023 season. He finished the 2023 season with 2,120 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 11 starts. This decline led to his trade to the Jacksonville Jaguars on March 10, 2024, in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick, marking a fresh start in his hometown.
With the Jaguars, Jones was expected to serve as the backup to Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars declined his fifth-year option in May 2024, making him a free agent after the 2024 season. He saw significant playing time in 2024 after Lawrence sustained an injury, starting seven games. While he provided some stability, his performance was described as underwhelming, finishing the season with 1,672 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 10 games.
In March 2025, Jones signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers, reportedly seeking to work with head coach Kyle Shanahan. He once again found himself in a backup role behind Brock Purdy. However, Purdy's turf-toe injury in the 2025 season provided Jones with another opportunity to start, where he performed admirably, leading the 49ers to a 5-3 record in his eight starts. During this period, he completed a career-high 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions, significantly boosting his stock.
As of June 2026, Jones remains with the San Francisco 49ers. On May 27, 2026, he agreed to a revised contract for the 2026 season, which included a $300,000 roster bonus, a $3.55 million base salary, and an additional $2.25 million available in incentives. He is slated to become a free agent in March 2027. Despite persistent trade rumors throughout the 2026 offseason, Jones has expressed his contentment with his current role as Brock Purdy's backup, praising the 49ers organization. The 49ers, in turn, value his proven capability as an experienced backup, especially after his strong showing in 2025.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Michael McCorkle "Mac" Jones made different choices?