Despite continued speculation, the San Francisco 49ers have no plans to trade quarterback Mac Jones this offseason and fully intend to bring him back as Brock Purdy's backup, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday. Jones is under contract with the 49ers for the 2026 season after signing a two-year contract in free agency last year. Stepping in for Purdy in eight games this season, Jones kept the 49ers in the playoff mix as they went 5-3 in games he started.
The 49ers were the first NFL team to win 15 regular-season games, losing just once, and were 3 1/2-point favorites but much of the pregame focus was on whether their defense could deal with a prolific Miami passing offense led by second-year quarterback Dan Marino, the league's Most Valuable Player. Marino had set NFL passing records with 5,084 yards passing and 48 touchdowns in the regular season.
Running back Christian McCaffrey won the Len Eshmont and Bill Walsh awards in the wake of his dual-threat season, which featured 1,202 rushing yards and 924 receiving yards after playing only four games in 2024 due to Achilles tendonitis and a knee injury. The Eshmont Award goes to the player who "best exemplifies the inspirational and courageous play of Len Eshmont," who played on the original 1946 49ers and went on to coach at Navy and Virginia. The Walsh Award is given to the player who exemplifies the "standard of professional excellence established by Walsh" during his decade coaching the 49ers, including three Super Bowl wins.