The Alabama Connection: Mac Jones & Brock Purdy’s Unexpected 49ers Rivalry
When the San Francisco 49ers acquired Mac Jones in the offseason, it sent shockwaves through the NFL. Brock Purdy had led the team to a Super Bowl appearance, yet doubts lingered about his ceiling. Enter Jones, the former Alabama standout who once seemed destined for Kyle Shanahan’s system. The move sparked immediate controversy. Was Purdy truly the franchise quarterback, or had the 49ers just secured his replacement?
The connection between the two QBs runs deeper than the 49ers’ locker room. While Brock Purdy played his college ball at Iowa State, his path was shaped, in part, by Alabama’s dynasty. He was a lightly recruited high school prospect when Jones was learning under Nick Saban, polishing the efficiency and precision that made him a first-round pick. Alabama’s system, built on quick processing and deadly accuracy, became the model for modern quarterbacks. And while Purdy never donned the Crimson and White, his development mirrored Alabama’s pro-style approach.
Yet, Jones and Purdy couldn’t have arrived in San Francisco under more different circumstances. Jones was once projected as the 49ers’ pick at No. 3 overall in the 2021 Draft, before Shanahan opted for Trey Lance. That decision indirectly led to Purdy’s rise. Mr. Irrelevant in 2022, Purdy seized his opportunity, outplaying expectations and taking the team deep into the playoffs. Jones, meanwhile, floundered in New England under a system that never fit him, proving that talent alone isn’t enough—it’s about fit, coaching, and culture.
Now, the two share a quarterback room, each a reminder of what the other could have been. If Jones had landed in San Francisco in 2021, would he have thrived in Shanahan’s offense? Would Purdy have ever gotten his chance? The Alabama connection looms in the background, an unspoken bond between two quarterbacks fighting for the same job.
The 49ers’ decision-makers insist there’s no controversy, that Jones is there for depth. But the whispers persist. If Purdy stumbles, will Shanahan turn to the more prototypical Alabama passer, the one who was supposed to be his guy all along?
San Francisco’s quarterback saga is far from over. And with two young, hungry QBs in the mix—one a proven winner, the other still chasing his potential—the drama is only beginning.
