Quarterback Mac Jones was very nice to the San Francisco 49ers last season, helping them go 5-3 over the course of eight starts while Brock Purdy was out with a turf-toe injury.
In response, the Niners opted to be very nice to Jones, too, after ultimately deciding not to trade him to the highest bidder this offseason—it's debatable whether or not there ever was a trade market for him in the first place.
According to the salary cap and contracts site, Spotrac, San Francisco reworked Jones' current contract in a way that'll include an additional $300,000 option bonus for 2026:
QB Mac Jones signed a renegotiated contract with the #49ers that includes an additional $300,000 roster bonus (treated as signing bonus).
— Spotrac (@spotrac) May 27, 2026
The 27-year-old is now due $3.55M in 2026, with another $2.25M available via incentives.
News of the deal was first reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, but it's helpful to see what the numbers are.
And it also helps explain why the 49ers opted to do such a thing.
Why did 49ers dish out even more money to Mac Jones?
It's pretty simple, honestly. The Niners fully understand they wouldn't have made the postseason last year if Jones didn't do what he did. And, with Purdy not expected to miss yet another half of a year again entering 2026, the likelihood of a Jones-like repeat of 2025 is slim, at best.
The bonus is a nice reward.
And the reward carries weight, too, because the backup signal-caller probably understands that if San Francisco traded him earlier this offseason, he likely would have inked an extension with a new team that'd far exceed the $3.55 million salary he's scheduled to make as the 49ers' QB2.
Sure, there are incentives based on playing time. But, if Purdy is healthy, Jones won't reach those. And he would've cashed in with another squad, had a trade materialized.
So, the Niners are acknowledging that with a nice gift of a bonus. And Jones certainly will appreciate the gesture, although he's probably awaiting what'll likley be a lucrative free-agent deal elsewhere in 2027.
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