Following the San Francisco 49ers’ 23-20 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky revisited a bold take he made two years ago regarding quarterback Mac Jones.
On Friday, Orlovsky reposted a clip from an October 2023 episode of Get Up on ESPN, in which he argued that Jones could thrive in the San Francisco 49ers system, comparing him directly to current 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. In the repost on X, formerly known as Twitter, Orlovsky added only a clenched teeth emoji — letting the archived footage speak for itself.
In the original segment, Orlovsky stated, “If Mac Jones was in San Francisco he would be playing like Brock Purdy.” The take sparked immediate debate among the show’s panel. Host Mike Greenberg agreed, while former NFL head coach Rex Ryan strongly pushed back.
“There’s no chance,” Ryan said. “He’d be better than he is, but if you think he’s going to play like Brock Purdy, you haven’t paid attention to Brock Purdy. That is a slap in his face. He’s not just a system quarterback. That guy is playing like Joe Montana.”
Orlovsky responded by pointing to Jones’ rookie year performance, asking, “If you pay attention to Mac Jones’ rookie year. So that never happened?”
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) October 3, 2025
Mac Jones' strong play sparks renewed 49ers debate as Dan Orlovsky’s 2023 take gains traction
The resurfaced segment came shortly after Jones led the injury-depleted 49ers to a key divisional win over the Rams. Starting in place of the injured Purdy, Jones threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns on 33-of-49 passing, finishing with a 100.9 passer rating. Through three starts this season, Jones has accumulated 905 passing yards, six touchdowns, and only one interception while completing 66.7% of his passes.
Purdy, sidelined due to a turf toe injury, has appeared in just two games in 2025. He has thrown for 586 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions while posting an 85.8 passer rating. In 2023, Purdy helped guide San Francisco to a Super Bowl appearance, throwing for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns with a 113.0 passer rating.
Orlovsky’s point from two years ago, once seen as speculative, now appears more grounded in evidence. His tweet also included criticism of Ryan’s analysis, writing, “Rex Ryan proves again that he lacks offensive football understanding from this clip, which was his biggest issue as a head coach.”
Jones’ connection to the 49ers dates back to the 2021 NFL Draft, when reports surfaced that he was the initial target for Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco front office after they traded up to the No. 3 overall pick. The team ultimately selected Trey Lance, who was later traded after limited playing time, while Jones went to the New England Patriots.
Now, nearly five years later, Jones finds himself in the 49ers’ system — and delivering results. While Shanahan and the organization have reaffirmed Purdy as the starter, Jones’ recent success has reignited discussion around what could have been — and what still may be — for the former Alabama standout in San Francisco.
