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A lot of early-season hope was lost for the San Francisco 49ers as one star player after another was injured, including quarterback Brock Purdy, who made just his third start of the season in a Week 11 win at the Arizona Cardinals.
Backup Mac Jones played so well in Purdy’s absence that it created a bit of a quarterback controversy. But the starter quieted that noise by throwing three touchdowns in his return.
Jones made quite a statement by winning five of his eight starts and completing almost 70 percent of his passes for more than 2,100 yards. Though many people fell victim to recency bias, former NFL QB Robert Griffin III recently expressed his strong belief in Purdy.
“I’m telling y’all, Brock Purdy is a special player. I know he might not be the tallest, I know he might not have the strongest arm, I know he might not have all the measurables that you see from the Josh Allens and the Patrick Mahomes, but what Brock Purdy does have is the fact that he is the leader of that team. He makes big-time plays in big-time moments and he is gonna be their key to not only getting to a Super Bowl, but potentially bringing one back to San Francisco,” Griffin said.
Robert Griffin is a big believer in Brock Purdy:
“I’m telling y’all Brock Purdy is a special player. I know he might not be the tallest, I know he might not have the strongest arm, I know he might not have all the measurables that you see from the Josh Allens and the Patrick… pic.twitter.com/YNqLbkrw6A
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) November 20, 2025
Jones reminded a lot of people about the reliable and effective system head coach Kyle Shanahan has created in San Francisco. It’s the one that turned Purdy from a forgotten seventh-round draft pick to a quarterback with a huge contract and a Super Bowl appearance.
The Niners have alternated wins and losses in their past eight games, and Purdy will look to win two in a row when they face the Carolina Panthers on “Monday Night Football.” As well as Jones played, there is no question about the franchise quarterback in San Francisco.
NEXT: NFL Insider Reveals Potential Trade Package For Mac Jones
