Again, quarterback Blaine Gabbert has a one-game hold on the 49ers’ starting job, coach Jim Tomsula said Tuesday during a radio appearance.
Tomsula said he met with Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick on Monday afternoon to inform both of his decision to stick with Gabbert when the 49ers return from the bye week to play at the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 22.
“I met with the guys and let them know we’re moving forward with the way we were – with Blaine in that seat,” Tomsula said on “Murph & Mac” on KNBR-680 AM, the 49ers’ flagship station. “No big things. Colin has handled himself unbelievably, OK? And I think people know how I feel about Colin Kaepernick –- what I think of him and how much I think of him.
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“I do believe in the person. And he has handled himself just awesome here and with his teammates. That part of it, you couldn’t ask for any better. OK? So that’s my feelings.”
Kaepernick, who signed a $115 million contract through the 2020 season 17 months ago, was benched following the 49ers’ 27-6 loss to the St. Louis Rams. It was the third time in the team’s first eight games the 49ers were held without a touchdown. Gabbert threw two touchdown passes in the first half on Sunday, and the 49ers’ defense held on for a 17-16 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium.
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Tomsula declined to publicly say that Gabbert was assured of being the starter beyond the 49ers’ game at Seattle.
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“My calendar is this Sunday,” Tomsula said, “and we’re open this week, and we got next week. And that’s my calendar. That’s where we’re going.
“We’re working on what we’re looking at right now, getting combinations together on the field. We need to win football games, and we need to win them one at a time. So we are going to focus on winning one football game at a time.”
Gabbert completed 15 of 25 passes for 185 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions – with one of his interceptions a perfectly thrown deep pass to Jerome Simpson who botched the reception, batting the ball in the air for a Phillip Adams to intercept. He also gained 32 yards rushing on eight attempts.
“We won the football game. I thought he did a nice job out there,” Tomsula said of Gabbert. “He had an opportunity, and I thought he did very well with his opportunity. And came back and watched the film, and what I thought during the game and what I watched on tape matched up for me. I made a decision.
“He did a nice job out there. He played football with his brain. He played it with his feet. He played it with his arm. I thought he spread the ball around really well. He got us in and out of plays that we needed to get in and out of. When it was time to run and use his feet, he did. I just like the way he played the game.”