Brock Purdy has been dealing with a turf toe injury during the 2025 NFL season, limiting him to just two games so far. The San Francisco 49ers have turned to Mac Jones to fill in as their starting quarterback, and he has done a solid job.
Jones’ strong performances have led former quarterback and current NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky to speculate about what the 49ers may do when Purdy is eventually healthy. He gave his take during an episode of “Get Up” on ESPN.
Is a Brock Purdy vs Mac Jones Battle Brewing for the 49ers?
Jones has turned in a 5-2 record across his seven starts for the 49ers this year. While Purdy appears close to making his return from a toe injury, Orlovsky isn’t necessarily convinced that he will resume his role as their starter when he’s healthy enough to do so.
“There is a brewing quarterback controversy, competition, whatever you want in San Francisco. Brock Purdy is a really good player, but Mac Jones has been absolutely sensational in his time,” stated Orlovsky.
He then went on to give his perspective on Jones’ play and his observation. Orlovsky said, “He’s doing it with people who have been beat up, stars and perimeter players that haven’t been healthy. He’s been knocked around, yet this team, somehow, even with all of those injuries, is still in the playoff race, and it’s because of the quarterback play. There’s a quarterback controversy brewing in San Francisco.”
.@danorlovsky7 says “there is a brewing QB controversy in San Francisco” 👀 pic.twitter.com/twshZdy9YB
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) November 6, 2025
The 49ers have been dealing with a long list of injuries to their pass catchers, including George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall, all of whom have missed some time this year. Brandon Aiyuk has also yet to make his debut as he recovers from a knee injury, creating a challenging situation for whoever is playing quarterback.
This hasn’t stopped Jones from winning five of his seven starts with ten touchdowns along the way. He currently ranks 14th among all quarterbacks on PFSN’s Impact Rankings this season, his best since his rookie year with the New England Patriots.
Orlovsky believes Jones has done enough to challenge for the starting job going forward, especially considering his success with a full cast of 49ers weapons around him. Purdy has been excellent during his time in the role, including ranking sixth and first in the Impact Rankings across the past two seasons.
It will be interesting to see what the 49ers decide to do for the second half of the 2025 season amid a tight battle for the NFC West division title. They currently trail the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams by just a half-game for the top spot.