George Kittle reveals he did not expect Mac Jones would play so well for 49ers

Senior Editor
George Kittle reveals he did not expect Mac Jones would play so well for 49ers image

The San Francisco 49ers have dealt with a ton of injuries this season, and the turf toe issue for Brock Purdy has forced Mac Jones to start the majority of the season for the 49ers this season.

Jones, coming in relief of the $262 million franchise quarterback, has been great. He's gone 5-3, keeping San Francisco alive in the NFC West playoff race and the Wild Card standings despite all of the issues on the offense and defense.

After the 49ers' Week 10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and another strong performance for Jones, George Kittle was asked about whether he expected this from Jones. Coach Yac on Twitter/X shared Kittle's answer, which revealed that he didn't expect Jones to be this good for the 49ers.

George Kittle didn't expect Mac Jones to be this good for 49ers

"Nope, I did not. Nope, I did not. Nope." Kittle said. "It's awesome, what a hell of a football player. Get why he was first first-round draft pick. 33 of 39, that's a hell of a football game. He is playing really well. He's not dangerous with the football either; he makes good throws, he forces a couple every once in a while, but he's doing a great job."

The 49ers have gotten a lot of great production from Jones as the backup to Purdy. It's a two-year deal, and it's looking like a steal for the 49ers. In the Week 10 loss, Jones went 33 of 39 for 319 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

So far this season, Jones has 2,151 passing yards and 13 touchdowns with six interceptions. He's not been an elite quarterback, but he's been good enough to keep the 49ers alive in the playoff race.

But for Kittle, what makes this performance from Jones in relief of Purdy so impressive is how hard the 49ers offense is to run. "For Mac to come in and take control of the offense and play at a high level consistently," Kittle said. "It's awesome."

More: Brock Purdy injury update: 4 reasons for 49ers to wait on starting QB, stick with Mac Jones

The 49ers are 6-4, and while they're out of the playoff picture for the moment, the 49ers have stayed alive and have the ability to make the playoffs, thanks in large part to Jones coming in and playing at a high level.

Kittle didn't expect Jones to play so well for the 49ers when Purdy went down due to injury. Not only has Jones impressed Kittle, but he's changed the narrative around his name in a big way.

He was once viewed as a first-round bust by the New England Patriots, but now, he could emerge as a quality career backup or journeyman quarterback thanks to his incredible run with the 49ers this season.

Jones has revived his career, much to the surprise of Kittle. While Purdy will start once he's healthy, the 49ers have the luxury of being patient thanks to how good Jones has been this season.

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Staff Writer