What was the contract decision that 49ers QB Mac Jones says he doesn't regret?
Mac Jones' decision to sign a two-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers last year now looks like a mistake.
But Jones doesn't see it quite like that. Of course, Jones doesn't see many things like most NFL quarterbacks. Asked Wednesday about the multi-year deal that prevented him from reaching free agency in March, where he might have signed a contract that could have dwarfed his current salary, Jones offered an alternative what-if.
"What if it went the other way?" Jones said. "What if I was on a one-year deal and played like crap? And then I'm on the street. Any years you can get in the league - just being on a team is a blessing for me, And, obviously, I have a higher ceiling than just that. But that's the basis: You want to make sure you're good to go."
To be clear, by the "on the street," Jones meant "unemployed." And by "good to go," he meant "have a job." Also, to be clear, Jones isn't an aging veteran hoping to hold on. He's 27. And he doesn't have a pedigree that would have shaped his just-happy-to-be-here response: He led Alabama to a national title, was a first-round NFL draft pick, finished second in the 2021 Rookie of the Year voting and was second in the NFL in completion percentage in 2025.
More For You
49ers' Trent Williams may have only two more seasons left. He has one goal
Trent Williams joined the chorus of San Francisco 49ers who look back at 2025 as proof of their resilience, but he encouraged his teammates to set their sights higher still.
49ers' blunt reaction to Rams' blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett? ‘It sucks'
The 49ers' thoughts on one of NFL's best players joining the league's best division? About what you'd expect. "Scary after seeing what he did last year," Trent Williams said.
Jones, whose college nickname was Joker, is the antithesis of a buttoned-up, bland-answering, corporate modern QB. His latest news conference, including his trademark cackle and his perma-smile, eliminated any skepticism about his claims about being happy to still be in Santa Clara, where he's stuck backing up Brock Purdy.
Jones has been the subject of widespread trade speculation after he excelled in eight off-the-bench starts last year. He maintained the 49ers told him early in the offseason that he wouldn't be traded. If he'd been dealt, Jones would have presumably had a chance to start with a team that likely would have redone his bargain two-year, $7 million contract that originally had $4.5 million in incentives.
"Obviously, you want to have a chance to start," Jones said. "But I also love it here. And I'm not really in the business of leaving good people. So I'm not mad about it at all."
A reporter noted Jones was "underpaid" by quality backup QB standards ("Thank you," Jones said) and asked whether the $300,000 roster bonus it was recently reported he received was a thank-you gift for his performance last year. Jones' answer suggested it was tied to a 2025 incentive ownership decided to pay.
"I'm not really going to go into it because it was supposed to be a quieter thing," Jones said. "It has something to do with last year. But I'm really grateful for it, and I love the Yorks. … It was good to have that gesture sent my way."
Jones did get specific about the benefits of spending a second season with the 49ers. He said he could get a chance to prove his 2025 season, which came after a career nosedive, was no fluke: "To do something again is sometimes good," he offered.
He also noted he could focus on improving his skills and mentality after spending much of his career learning a new system. Jones had a different offensive coordinator in each of his first five NFL seasons. He said he hss been focused on continuing to improve his mindset this offseason.
"I do put a lot of work into it. At the end of the day, if you go out there on Sunday and you're not confident, it doesn't matter," Jones said. "I know that if I go out there on Sunday and have the right mindset and have that warrior mentality that I can play really good football, I proved that last year. But the challenge is building on it this year."
Jones' fight to retain his self-belief reflects some of his inner scar tissue. After his promising rookie year with the Patriots, the No. 15 pick in 2021 was traded to the Jaguars for a sixth-round pick just two seasons later. When he signed with the 49ers, Jones' career passer rating (84.9) ranked 26th among the 28 QBs who had at least 1,000 pass attempts since 2021.
Last year, Jones improved when it came to moving on from mistakes. He has said part of his struggles in New England were tied to his lack of resilience when faced with on-field adversity. In 2025, 49ers quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi would mention the 1997 movie "Men in Black" during games as a reminder to forget. In "MIB," a secret device, a neuralyzer, is used to erase the memory of those who see its flash.
For Jones it's about "don't worry about the interception I threw," Lombardi said. "Or the bad read I made. Or the fumbled snap, or whatever bad thing happened. Or don't even worry about the good throw I made. Just keep working and progressing."
Jones has practiced meditation as part of his mental-improvement plan. And he also has eliminated what he views as negative words from his vocabulary, such as "fix," because it implies something is damaged, perhaps permanently.
It has helped Jones to stay in the present during games. And, perhaps, it has allowed him to not spend much time worrying about what might have been: How has last year's two-year contract impacted his career arc and bank account?
"The one-year versus two-year thing is definitely a legit question," he said. "But it'll all work out how it's supposed to."
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.