Quarterback Controversy Brewing Mac Jones Is Too Good To Bench Now
Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the San Francisco 49ers have been confident is recent days that starting quarterback Brock Purdy will be able to return to action for their next game after dealing with a toe injury.
It seems like, for the last few weeks, that has been the storyline surrounding him, only for him to not be cleared to play by the time game day rolls around.
Somehow, someway, the 49ers have gotten off to a 5-2 record despite all the injuries they have had to deal with. Star tight end George Kittle missed five games with a hamstring injury, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was unable to play in their last three games and defensive end Nick Bosa and middle linebacker Fred Warner are out for the season with a torn ACL and broken ankle, respectively.
The Athletic insider Dianna Russini gave some details during her “Scoop City” podcast about how Purdy has been feeling lately and how his pregame workout prior to Sunday’s game went, and it doesn’t sound promising.
“I was told that he didn’t really feel that great,” Russini said, per 49ers Webzone. “So, we’ll see how this progresses over the next few days. And he shared, too, how frustrated he is. He doesn’t want to sit and watch this happen, especially after just getting paid.”
She added, “And it sounds like it’s one of those nagging pains, too, where it’s just like you’re trying, you feel like you can go a little bit more, and then when you push it-that’s when the pain comes back. We’ll see how they figure that out.”
Purdy has appeared in two games so far in 2025. He played in Week 1 and, despite throwing two interceptions, he led the game-winning drive against the Seattle Seahawks on the road.
He attempted to return from his toe ailment in Week 3, but he was shaky and completed just 22 of 38 pass attempts while throwing two more interceptions in a 26-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In Purdy’s absence, Mac Jones, who had been branded as a bust over the previous couple of seasons, has filled in ably. In five games this year, Jones has thrown for 1,404 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions, and some have speculated that there could be a brewing quarterback controversy in the Bay.
But Jones doesn’t have the familiarity with San Francisco’s personnel or coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense that Purdy has, and therefore, there is no indication that Purdy’s QB1 gig could be in jeopardy once he’s healthy enough to play.
The Niners will visit the Houston Texans and New York Giants over the next two weeks before returning to Levi’s Stadium to host the Los Angeles Rams. They had previously defeated the Rams at “Levi’s South,” otherwise known as SoFi Stadium, in overtime on Oct. 2.
Packers’ Matt LaFleur focused on Steelers battle not Aaron Rodgers hype
Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, holding a 4-2 record, return to the national spotlight on Sunday night when they face Matt LaFleur’s 4-1-1 Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium. Both squads enter the matchup atop their divisions, setting the stage for a high-stakes “Sunday Night Football” clash that could shape the course of their seasons.
A major storyline for the Steelers revolves around quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is preparing to face his former team for the first time. Green Bay selected Rodgers with the 24th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and his matchup against the Packers adds extra intrigue to an already highly anticipated game.
However, LaFleur brushed aside the storylines surrounding the matchup, emphasizing that the focus isn’t on Green Bay going up against Rodgers but on preparing for the Pittsburgh Steelers as a whole, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
“We’re playing the Pittsburgh Steelers, who happen to have Aaron Rodgers. It’s as simple as that,” remarked the Packers head coach.
Matt LaFleur focused on Packers-Steelers not Aaron Rodgers
“That is for you guys to talk about. Granted, I mean, we’ve got a lot of love and respect for Aaron. What he’s done here, I mean, he’s a Hall of Famer. And I know, like our past together, we had a lot of great moments, but this game is not about that. It’s about going to Pittsburgh, “Sunday Night Football,” our guys will be jacked up, their guys will be jacked up. It’s about the Green Bay Packers versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
LaFleur worked with Rodgers in Green Bay from 2019 through 2022 before the Packers dealt the veteran quarterback to the New York Jets in 2023 and officially began the Jordan Love era. Following two injury-plagued years in New York, Rodgers signed with the Steelers during the offseason and has since led them to an impressive 4-2 record to open the year.
Coming off their victory over the Cardinals, the Packers are focused on maintaining their level of play rather than getting caught up in the narratives surrounding Aaron Rodgers. Still, fans can’t help but feel the buzz of anticipation that comes with facing their former franchise quarterback.
Rodgers spent 18 years with the Packers, including 15 as the team’s starting quarterback, earning four MVP honors and leading Green Bay to a Super Bowl title in 2011.
