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Mac Jones injury: Terry McAulay criticizes controversial no-call after hard hit on 49ers QB

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz10/03/25NickSchultz_7
Former Tide QB Mac Jones
Former Tide QB Mac Jones (Stephen Lew / Imagn Images)

After taking a hard hit in the third quarter of Thursday’s game, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones stayed on the turf at SoFi Stadium, holding his left knee. On the play, though, Prime Video rules analyst Terry McAulay said the officials should have called roughing the passer.

Jones went down after Byron Young laid a huge hit on 3rd and Goal. He eventually jogged off and headed toward the bench.

However, McAulay disagreed with the no-call. He said there should have been roughing the passer since Young landed on Jones with his full body weight.

“I think it’s roughing the passer,” McAulay said. “I think he lands on him with full body weight right there. That should be roughing the passer.”

Jones is already playing through a PCL injury, which is why he was wearing a brace on his leg. He stayed on the ground after the big hit, but while the broadcast headed to commercial, he jogged off toward the sideline. He was then seen on the bench while the training staff looked at his leg.

However, Prime Video’s Kaylee Hartung reported Jones didn’t have any formal evaluation of his knee while on the bench. Based on what she saw, he appeared to be cramping a bit.

“While Mac Jones was on the sideline, he spent most of the time on the bench,” Hartung reported in the third quarter. “He was pushing electrolytes and fluids. The athletic trainer was using a massage gun on his left calf. I didn’t see any kind of formal evaluation of that knee. All of that suggests he was cramping.”

Jones is in his third game with the 49ers this year in place of Brock Purdy, who’s dealing with both a shoulder and toe injury. The former Alabama star entered Thursday with 563 yards four touchdowns, including 284 yards and a touchdown last time out in a win over the Arizona Cardinals.

The 49ers signed Jones to a two-year, $8.4 million contract prior to the season. He jumps in amid a slew of injuries on the roster. In addition to Purdy, San Francisco is also without both Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall while George Kittle is also still on injured reserve. That left Christian McCaffrey as the 49ers’ biggest playmaker for Thursday’s primetime affair at SoFi Stadium.