Why the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback controversy is real

You bet it is.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13). | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Here's how you know the 49ers have a full-blown quarterback controversy on their hands.

Every local and national football pundit imagineable, including Adam Schefter, rushed to their platforms this week to explain at length why the 49ers in fact do NOT have a quarterback controversy. They're still Brock Purdy's team.

If indeed there were no quarterback controversy, then these pundits simply wouldn't mention it because there would be nothing to talk about.

So why is the 49ers' quarterback controversy real?

Prime Thursday Night Football sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung (left). | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's simple. Any time someone can do your job for a fraction of your salary, you're in trouble. That goes for any profession.

Purdy has done some excellent things for the 49ers in his brief tenure as their starting quarterback, which is why they gave him a five-year, $265 million extension during the offseason.

But in Purdy's past 8 starts, he has thrown 9 interceptions and lost 6 times. He's in a slump. Plus, he's injured because he holds the ball and runs around so much.

Meanwhile, his understudy, Mac Jones, doesn't hold the ball and run around like he thinks he's Josh Allen. Instead, Jones gets rid of it quickly. And he doesn't throw lots of interceptions -- or at least he hasn't yet on the 49ers. In three starts this season, Jones has thrown just one interception and has won all three games. He's on fire.

And here's the kicker. Jones is roughly 13 times cheaper than Purdy per season on average. The 49ers are paying Purdy $53 million per year, while they're paying Jones slightly more than $4 million.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13). | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

If the 49ers can get elite production from Jones, why would they want to pay Purdy all that money to put up the same numbers? Or worse ones? Especially when Purdy keeps getting injured and missing games?

Sure, Purdy has won playoff games, but he hasn't been prolific in any of those wins. He has been modest, slightly better than Jimmy Garoppolo, who also went to a Super Bowl on this team.

Meanwhile, Jones already looks like a much smarter version of Garoppolo. Who knows, maybe he can actually win the Super Bowl with this team if he gets there, unlike Purdy and Garoppolo.

As long as Jones keeps winning and playing as he has the past few weeks, he's the 49ers' starting quarterback, and there's nothing Purdy can do about it. He'll have to wait until Jones loses before he'll get a chance to play again.