Coach Kyle Shanahan raised some eyebrows this week when asked about the 49ers’ starting quarterback situation.
He said he would “start with” Nick Mullens, making it sound as if he would be ready to put C.J. Beathard into the game if the 49ers’ offense struggled.
Shanahan clarified his remarks on 49ers Game Plan, which airs Saturday at 7 p.m. on NBC Bay Area (Ch. 3).
With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams!
SIGN UP HERE “I look at it the same I have the last three weeks,” Shanahan said. “I know what I said earlier, and I didn’t mean it the way it came off, that we’ll ‘start with’ him.”
Mullens will make his fourth consecutive start for the 49ers on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. He took over for Beathard, who took over for Jimmy Garoppolo. The 49ers were forced to dip into their reserves at quarterback when Garoppolo’s season came to an end with a torn ACL in his left knee late in a Week 3 loss in Kansas City.
“Everybody wants to know who our starting quarterback is, and our starting quarterback is Jimmy Garoppolo,” Shanahan said.
Mullens has completed 65.6 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and four interceptions. Beathard completed 60.4 percent with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. The 49ers’ sack numbers have improved with Mullens, who has been dropped just four times with 93 pass attempts.
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
“Nick came in and took advantage of his opportunity, and that’s why we kept him in here,” Shanahan said. “He’s played well, and he’s given us a chance to win.”
Things will be a lot more difficult for whomever starts at quarterback for the remainder of the season. The 49ers play the Seahawks twice, Denver, Chicago and the Los Angeles Rams to close out the season.
Shanahan said he would not hesitate to make a change, if he believes Beathard can help.
“I’ll assess the game and see how it goes, and I’ll always try to put the guy in who I think at the time has the best chance to win,” Shanahan said.