Rookie Brock Purdy takes over as the unquestioned No. 1 quarterback atop the 49ers’ depth chart at the most-important time of the year.
The new No. 2 is Josh Johnson, 36, whom the 49ers plucked off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad Sunday night following Jimmy Garoppolo’s season-ending foot injury.
Purdy is next in line after the 49ers' top two quarterbacks, Trey Lance and Garoppolo, sustained season-ending injuries, and takes over a team that is 8-4 and atop the NFC West after five consecutive wins.
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SIGN UP HERE “I just think we have a really good team that’s worked our butts off to get into this position we’re at now, and we have a lot more football left,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I know it’s a real big loss, starting with Trey but then the huge loss of losing Jimmy last night.
“That is a big deal but I do also believe our team is built for this.”
The 49ers conceivably have another option at quarterback with the Carolina Panthers on Monday granting Baker Mayfield’s request to be released. Mayfield is subject to waivers. Teams have until Tuesday at 1 p.m. PT to submit a claim.
Shanahan suggested he does not expect Mayfield to wind up with the 49ers, who are well down the list in the waiver priority order. Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but was traded from Cleveland to Carolina, and played poorly in six starts this season.
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“We look into everything, but that would surprise me right now,” Shanahan said of Mayfield. “We got to discuss more this afternoon. I’ve always been a fan of his, but feel real good about our players. We’ll look into everything but feel pretty good with where we’re at right now.”
Johnson, an Oakland native, knows his way to Santa Clara as he spent time with the 49ers in 2012, reuniting with Jim Harbaugh, his coach at the University of San Diego.
He was back with the 49ers in 2014 and, again, in 2020 with Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
“Just having him here in 2020 for that last month of the year, we got to see a lot of him just as a player,” Shanahan said. “We like the player, but more importantly we really like the guy. I think that’s why he’s been around for so long and so many places continue to bring him back because he is a natural leader.”
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Johnson received the promotion to the 53-man roster over quarterback Jacob Eason, who has spent the past couple of weeks on the 49ers’ practice squad.
The 49ers’ current situation appears set up well for success, leading one reporter to ask Shanahan if the 49ers have heard from or reached out to any retired quarterbacks about the potential of a comeback.
“No, we haven’t,” Shanahan said. “(We’re) still waiting on Joe [Montana] to call.
When told Steve Young might be offended he wasn't mentioned.
“Steve. I'm definitely ready for Steve," Shanahan said. "I think he could still run it, so let's do it.”