QB Mac Jones Press Conference

QB Mac Jones

Press Conference – October 9, 2025

San Francisco 49ers

I know you’ve moved on from the last game and T Trent Williams was just saying that it seems like weeks ago since it was a Thursday game, but how much feedback did you get for your performance that night? So many people talking about how tough you are and things you’ve battled through – teammates, media, everything?

“Yeah, I think everybody did, honestly. It was a tough game. Any overtime game in the NFL, you’re going to have guys who are playing more plays. The defense did a great job, I was really just proud of the team and that’s part of football, playing tough. The tough part is getting back and having to do it the next week. So, we had a couple days, and at the end of the day, all these games are going to hopefully come down to one score. You just got to be tough mentally and physically put your body through it and then keep playing.”

You had some spurts in the game where it looks like you were tired, it looked like you were hurting, you were dry heaving, but you were fighting through like all the ailments that you were dealing with. Did you learn anything about yourself that game? Did anything happen where you thought you unlocked something in your confidence after that game?

“Yeah, I know what you’re saying. I just think that every game’s different and that game I knew was going to take a lot of toughness and just taking it one play at a time. I believe if you can protect yourself, that you should be out there and playing. A lot of guys are working through stuff. That’s the NFL, and I’ve learned that you just got to be able to go out there and protect yourself and play. I think that’s our team’s DNA right now, and we have to continue that just because you do it for one week or two weeks or three or whatever, you have to be able to not be complacent with your effort and toughness. That’s something that you can control to be honest. That’s a variable that you can control. So, I always focus on that, the results take care of themselves, but you can be tough and have a good attitude and work through the mental and physical stuff, and that’s all you can ask for really.”

You had an eventful Thursday. Can you take us through what happened to begin the day in your hotel room?

“Yeah, there was just some police activity and stuff, and I don’t really want to talk about it. It was before the game or whatever and I’ve kind of just moved on to this week.”

How did you spend the weekend kind of recovering and how do you feel right now?

“Yeah, every game you have a plan for what you need to fix and what you need to get better at. Not only on the field but off the field with your body and how you feel. So, for me, just getting treatment every day and working. We have a good plan in place, and I feel confident and just working through it day by day. That’s all you can do.”

Did you suffer your oblique injury on the last snap? And if so, do you think you could have continued to play?

“Yeah, it was definitely in the game. I don’t know, that was the last snap, so I guess you didn’t have to find out. But yeah, like I said, we got a plan in place and just got to work through it and make sure you can protect yourself.”

How are you right now, health wise?

“Working through it. Like I said, got a plan with the training staff and been getting treatment every day and trying to do everything I can. Sleep, eat, do the little things, and everyone else is doing the same thing. So that’s NFL football.”

Is there a difficulty with throwing right now, just during the portion of practice we got to watch? I noticed you weren’t doing a ton.

“Yeah, well [quarterbacks coach] Mick Lombardi got to go out there and play quarterback, so he looked pretty good.”

So, is that because of the oblique that just kind of resting?

“Yeah, I was trying to save some throws. There’s a lot of volume out there and at the end of the day, got to be ready for Sunday. Like I said, we got a plan, so taking it day by day.”

When it comes to QB Adrian Martinez, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said if you spend a little bit of time with him, then you will be impressed by him. What’s the relationship between you and Martinez, but then also the type of person he is, player and preparation, what is it like from your perspective?

“Yeah, he’s really cool. Just a laid-back dude and doesn’t let a lot get to him. I feel like he has had an interesting journey and played really well. Obviously, he’s done a great job. Just having him in the room, he is just a cool vibe, so really appreciate him. We’ve got to know each other and gotten close, so he’s the same guy every day and those are the guys you want in your quarterback room. That makes it easy for [QB] Brock [Purdy], me, everybody and the coaches. So, when you have a quarterback room that’s unified and together, you can go places and when you don’t, you don’t really go anywhere.”

You mentioned that you have a plan that you’re working with the training staff on. Do you feel the game was today? Would you be comfortable playing?

“Yeah, I mean the game’s not today, right? So, I don’t really do the theoretical questions but definitely feel like I have a good plan in place and the games on Sunday, and we’ll see how I feel when we get there.”

You probably saw the clip from former University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban over the weekend telling everybody that he used to call you McEnroe because you would blow up if you didn’t throw a perfect play and because of your tennis background. Is that still part of you in terms of making a throw?

“Yeah, I need to call him because I thought we graduated from that. He brings that one up every year. I’m like, ‘Coach Saban, get a new joke or something [laughs].’ But next time I see him I’ll rip him just like he used to rip me. But no, I definitely like had to work on that and he actually helped me a lot with that. I hope the next time he talks about it, he’ll talk about the progress I made from my freshman to my sophomore year just working with different people on staff, doctors and whatnot and just meeting with people and having these conversations about how can I get my mental game better and really just playing each play at one play at a time. That’s what he preached. There’s a guy named, he’s the ‘Wizard,’ [Michigan State professor Lionel] Lonny Rosen he worked with him at Michigan State. So, I got to meet with him and that kind of helped me really get my mental game going and kind of just play each play at one play at a time and not show emotion like that. And I really graduated from that. So, he can stop saying that.”

Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak was saying that he thought that the tennis is transferrable in terms of things you do in the pocket. Is that true, you think?

“Yeah, I think so. I didn’t play like super competitively. I was pretty competitive, but my sister played in college and my dad obviously in the pros. So, the serve is very similar to throwing motion. My dad used to have me warm up with the tennis racket because you’re doing the same motion and then your footwork’s very similar because you could be playing on clay and you’re sliding around, or you could play on hard court, and you got to be very firm with your footing. Then obviously running to the ball you have to have hand-eye coordination. So, it’s all reaction based. I do feel like I haven’t played tennis in a while, but I can go out there and hit the ball and I do feel like it helps me with my feet.”

Do you get football nightmares when you’re sleeping? And if so, could you give an example of one?

“Not really, not anymore at least. Maybe back in the day, but right now I’m good.”

Going back to Coach Saban, do you ever see him on College Game Day and he’s light and funny. Do you ever think where was this when I was your player?

“Yeah [laughs]. No, he was light and funny with me. I think you just have to be able to give him something back. If you act scared of Coach Saban, then he knows like he can be mean and stuff. But I did like his white suit the other night, that was pretty nice. So hopefully he keeps wearing some good suits. That’s where I get my suits from.”