San Francisco 49ers Make Surprise Addition At QB For Week 2

With Brock Purdy ruled out of Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints, the San Francisco 49ers have named Mac Jones their starter. But Jones needs a backup and the 49ers found a surprise pick to fill the role.

Ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Saints, the 49ers have elevated quarterback Adrian Martinez from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Martinez is 25 years old but has never played in an NFL game. He was, however, the MVP of UFL in 2024, leading the Birmingham Stallions to a championship after leading the league in rushing.

Earlier this week the 49ers brought in quarterback Mike White for a workout. White previously played under 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh when the two were part of the New York Jets. But White went unsigned and nobody else got called up.

Martinez’s history

College football fans remember Martinez best for his tenure with the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 2018 to 2021. He earned the starting nod as a freshman and showed promise under then-head coach Scott Frost.

Unfortunately, he did not improve in the ensuing years and the team went 14-24 with him as their starting quarterback.

Martinez transferred to Kansas State in 2022 for his final year but lost the starting job to Will Howard, who went on to lead the team to the Big 12 title that year.

The NFL didn’t come calling for Martinez in the 2023 NFL Draft. He went undrafted, signed with the Detroit Lions as a UDFA and was cut at the end of the preseason.

Following his heroics in the 2024 UFL season, the New York Jets stashed him on their practice squad in 2024. But they never elevated him for a game. The Jets gave him a chance to compete in the preseason but ultimately went with Brady Cook as their QB3.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – AUGUST 24: Adrian Martinez #15 of the New York Jets throws a pass against the New York Giants during the first quarter of a preseason game at MetLife Stadium on August 24, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)Luke Hales/Getty Images

State of the 49ers

Week 1 was a Pyrrhic victory for the 49ers as they narrowly beat the rival Seattle Seahawks but saw Brock Purdy sustain his injury in the process.

The NFC West is primed to be a dogfight this year as the Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams and even Arizona Cardinals all vie for the division title in a conference where wildcard spots will be hard to obtain.

Mac Jones will get the call this week as the team crosses its fingers that Purdy recovers soon.

Will Jones lead the 49ers to a win on Sunday?

This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.