The San Francisco 49ers placed tight end George Kittle on Injured Reserve after the season opener. That means that the Jacksonville Jaguars won't have to face the two-time First-Team All-Pro nod in Week 4. However, that may not be the only twist for the game.
Aside from Kittle, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is dealing with shoulder and toe injuries. His status against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 is in question, and the fact that San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan says his team is in the market for a quarterback might be a sign that the former Iowa State product could miss extended time, including the Jaguars game.
That means that if Purdy isn't good to go, ** checks notes ** Mac Jones will get a chance to face his old team.
Mac Jones played for the Jaguars in 2024 and now is with the 49ers
When former general manager Trent Baalke took over in 2021, he signed C.J. Beathard as the backup quarterback. However, an injury Trevor Lawrence suffered in 2023 showed that the Jaguars weren't fully confident in Beathard's ability to lead the team. Thus, it wasn't shocking to see them trade for Mac Jones the following offseason.
Then, the 2024 season came, and Jones was thrust into action when Lawrence suffered a shoulder injury and later when the Jags effectively shut him down for the season. This was the time for the 2021 first-round selection to shine but instead came crashing down, completing 65.3 percent of his passes for 1,672 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.
And as Warren Sharp highlighted, Jones' 54.0 percent incompletion rate due to inaccurate passes was tied for the second-highest in the NFL last year, only behind Cooper Rush.
Of course, Jones was far from the Jaguars' only issue in 2024. Heck, he could even be at the bottom of the reasons they went 4-13, but that doesn't give him a pass for his underwhelming performance.
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Mac Jones wishes the Jaguars the best but will have a chance at payback
Back when Mac Jones signed with the 49ers, he said he wanted to surround himself with winners, possibly implying that the Jaguars weren't. He'll have a chance to prove he's now a winner if Brock Purdy misses the Week 4 bout.
Then again, the Jaguars won't give up a fight. Their defense looked significantly improved in the opener, so they are in a position to slow the 49ers offense, especially when you take into account that George Kittle won't play.
On offense, the Jaguars showed against the Panthers that they can run the ball, so as long as Trevor Lawrence spreads the ball and doesn't make any big mistakes, Jacksonville can beat Jones and his new team.
Of course, it all be dependant on whether Brock Purdy ultimately plays, but the prospect of facing the Jags, even if it's not guaranteed, should have Mac Jones licking his chops.