Why It's Likely Mac Jones Returns to the 49ers After 2026

Trading Mac Jones was never an option for the San Francisco 49ers.

Unless a team was willing to offer them a first-round pick, maybe even a second, Jones wasn’t going anywhere. The 49ers value him too much, and rightfully so after what he did last year.

Not even Jones cared to be traded, even though that would mean he’d get a shot at starting. Jones has been surrounded by dysfunction from the moment he was drafted.

Now that he's with a stable and winning team, it's like a breath of fresh air to him. He's happy with the 49ers, even as a backup. And although he's on the last year of his deal, there's a good chance he re-signs with the 49ers after 2026.

Don't be surprised if Jones returns

Oct 26, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) walks off the field after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

“You wanna have a chance to start, but I also love it here,” Jones said. “I’m not really in the business of leaving good people. I think it’s a great organization. We did a lot of fun stuff last year, but it’s a new year.

"This is the first year I’ve had with the same offensive playbook being in the NFL. That’s kind of nice. If you go to a new team, you’ve got to learn a new playbook again, and do everything over. It feels good. I’m excited and really looking forward to this summer and getting everything going again.”

Just look at how he talks about the 49ers. This isn't a player who is pressed to find a starting job. While that is a desire, Jones knows that it can lead him back into a dumpster fire again.

Being happy and comfortable may be enough for him. The 49ers probably sense that, which is why they wanted to do right by him by giving him a $300,000 pay raise.

“It was good to have that gesture sent my way,” said Jones. “I wanna build on it and have another good year. It’s never really been about the money for me to be honest. I’m just glad that I’m having fun again. That’s priceless to me.”

Jones might not want to give up the joy of playing football again in search of a starting job. That will lead him back to re-signing with the 49ers.

Still, it will come down to a bit of money. The 49ers might be fine with paying him around $5 million with incentives moving forward. That could be enough to get the job done.

They love having Jones around, which is why they didn't want to trade him. And Jones knows he can be at his best playing with the 49ers.

“I know that I can play in this system. I know that I can play even better in this system. I’ve got good support from coach Kyle and Klay (Kubiak) and everybody."

Re-signing after the 2026 season seems more likely than not.

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