Who is Mac Jones' backup? 49ers promoted former UFL MVP to be QB's backup

Mike Moraitis

Who is Mac Jones' backup? 49ers promoted former UFL MVP to be QB's backup image

The San Francisco 49ers looked like they might need yet another backup quarterback in the Week 5 game against the Los Angeles Rams when Mac Jones looked to be injured in the third quarter.

Jones took a trio of hard hits on the first drive of the second half and was down on the field and grabbing his left knee, which made us fear the worst.

However, Jones, who is already filling in for an injured Brock Purdy, was able to get up and jog off the field under his own power, so it looks like disaster has been averted, at least for now.

But we'll be keeping our eye on Jones' status for the rest of the game, as he might not be 100% for the rest of the contest.

Who is Mac Jones' backup?

The 49ers promoted quarterback Adrian Martinez for the Week 5 game to back Jones up. Martinez has had cups of coffee in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, New York Jets and now the 49ers, although he has never gotten into a game.

Martinez is more well-known for his success in the UFL, where he was the league's MVP in 2024 after a sensational season with the Birmingham Stallions.

Martinez, who played his college ball at Kansas State, actually led the league in rushing yards with 528, but he also threw for 1,749 yards and 15 touchdowns.

As happy as we'd be for Martinez to get his chance in the NFL on Thursday night, we hope it doesn't happen because that would mean Jones is injured.

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Mike Moraitis

Mike Moraitis is a freelance writer who covers the NFL for the Sporting News. Over his nearly two decades covering sports, Mike has also worked for Bleacher Report, USA TODAY and FanSided. He hates writing in the third person.