49ers quarterback Mac Jones has only been in the NFL five years, but he's already lived a multitude of lives.
Once regarded as the future of his position with the Patriots, Jones rapidly fell out of favor in New England. The Patriots traded him to the Jaguars before the 2024 season, and he's enjoyed a positive reintroduction to the league with San Francisco as Brock Purdy recovers from injury.
Among those applauding Jones's success is former Alabama coach Nick Saban, who oversaw the quarterback's magnificent 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On Friday, Saban praised Jones on The Pat McAfee Show while dinging New England a bit for mishandling his talents.
"I'm so happy for Mac," Saban said. "I think Mac was one of those guys who was in bad situations in New England relative to coaching and all that stuff, and who was the offensive coordinator, and how did he get developed when he came into the league."
The Patriots had a revolving door at offensive coordinator during Jones's three-year tenure. Longtime Bill Belichick lieutenant Josh McDaniels helmed the offense in 2021, the year Jones made the Pro Bowl. Defensive guru Matt Patricia called plays in 2022, and another returnee—Bill O'Brien—oversaw the offense in 2023.
With Kyle Shanahan as his coach, Jones has thrown six touchdowns against just one pick in 2025—making for compelling evidence of the organization's role in a young quarterback's development.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Nick Saban Praises Mac Jones for 49ers Success, Subtly Criticizes Patriots.
