John Lynch Addresses Brock Purdy-Mac Jones Tension Amid 49ers QB Battle
The San Francisco 49ers are 4-1 and sitting atop the NFC West, and two quarterbacks are responsible for their success.
Mac Jones led them to wins in Weeks 2, 3 and 5 against the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, and Los Angeles Rams, respectively, and Brock Purdy went 1-1 against the Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively.
And while Purdy just signed a five-year, $265 million contract extension over the summer, Jones has outperformed him on the field, prompting some to question if there's a genuine quarterback controversy.
In his two appearances, Purdy has averaged 293 yards passing per game with four touchdowns, four interceptions, and an 85.8 passer rating, while Jones is averaging 302 yards passing per game with six touchdowns, one interception, and a 99.1 passer rating.
Though there's mounting speculation the growing of calls for Jones to remain the team's starter even when Purdy is healthy, general manager John Lynch addressed the rumors of any tension between his two QBs this week during an appearance on KNBR radio.
"I do wholeheartedly believe that Brock is nothing but happy for our team," Lynch said. "He's working his tail off to try to get back and I think we all feel blessed and fortunate that we found a guy to be our backup this year who can go in and play like a starter and earn us tough, hard-fought wins. Mac's doing a tremendous job. It's been fun.
“We've talked about the process he's gone through and you could see throughout the offseason, through training camp, the confidence built, and some of those innate abilities that we saw way back in college come to the forefront, and it's cool to see that happen on a big stage,” he added.
Lynch took things a step further and pulled back the curtain, so to speak, to how Purdy has handled watching his team go undefeated with his understudy.
"A cool quality about Brock Purdy is he's one of the most self-assured people in a very humble way," Lynch continued. "It's hard to explain, but I think it's one of the things that appealed to us. He's just very confident in his abilities, but he's just a good guy. He's got an incredible amount of humility."
Judging from Lynch's comments, even if Purdy wasn't a $53 million-per-year passer, his job would still be safe despite Jones' career renaissance.
Former Bears Star RB Who Did Everything to Leave for the Jets, Is Now Unhappy and Wants to Return
Feel the roar of Soldier Field, where the Chicago wind carries the hopes of a city that bleeds navy and orange. Once, a runner darted through that frigid turf, his legs churning dreams of greatness with every carry. He was the heartbeat of an underdog story, an undrafted gem who proved his worth in a Bears uniform. But a crowded depth chart and a clash of visions sent him packing, traded away for pennies in a move that still stings fans. Now, stranded in the shadow of New York’s bright lights, he pines for the grit of the Windy City. Can a lost son find his way back to where he belongs?
That runner is Khalil Herbert, the running back whose relentless drive once lit up Chicago’s backfield. Undrafted in 2021, he burst onto the scene with 1,069 rushing yards in 2022, a beacon of promise as the Bears’ RB2. But 2024 brought a bitter twist: the arrival of D’Andre Swift pushed Herbert to the bench, his carries dwindling to just 65 for the season. Frustrated by “limited touches” and a scheme under OC Shane Waldron that didn’t fit his bruising style, he demanded a trade. The Bears obliged, shipping him to the Cincinnati Bengals in November 2024 for a measly 2025 seventh-round pick—a deal fans on X branded a “giveaway.” GM Ryan Poles called it a “depth chart decision,” but Herbert’s public discontent boiled over. After rushing for 150 yards in a Week 10 win over the Steelers, he didn’t hold back in a Bengals post-game interview: “Chicago never used me right—I’m a starter, and they built the wrong RB room.” The words cut deep as the Bears’ run game faltered, with Swift sidelined by injuries and Roschon Johnson plagued by fumbles, fueling #TradeBackHerbert trends on X.
The saga didn’t end there. Herbert signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets (5-0) in 2025, chasing a role in their high-flying offense. But the Jets’ backfield, led by Breece Hall, has left him as a backup once more, his 92 yards through five games a faint echo of his potential. The scheme doesn’t suit him, and his Instagram memes shading Chicago’s offense hint at deeper regrets. Insiders whisper of his longing:
“Chicago was where I proved I belong. I let frustration cloud that, but I’d run through walls to wear that Bears logo again.” Those words stir memories of his 4.6 yards-per-carry grit, his knack for breaking tackles. Bears fans are torn—some scorn the outspoken exile who forced his way out, others see a 27-year-old spark who could revive a stumbling ground game. With the Bears eyeing a playoff push in 2025, could a reunion heal the wounds of a hasty trade? Football is more than schemes—it’s heart, mistakes, and the pull of home. As the Chicago skyline looms, only the field will tell if Herbert’s exile ends.
