Jerry Rice sees Nick Mullens adding pressure on 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo

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If the 49ers want to live up to their Super Bowl aspirations, the seasons could come down to one player: Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

As NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco pointed out Wednesday morning, the biggest question the 49ers face this season is "Who is Jimmy G?" Garoppolo is 27 years old and entering his sixth season in the NFL, yet he's still a mystery. He only has 10 starts under his belt and is coming off a torn ACL. 

The pressure is on Garoppolo, and the main reason why could be due to the emergence of an undrafted backup QB. 

"There's some pressure on Jimmy also, because you got Nick Mullens right behind him," 49ers Hall of Famer Jerry Rice said Wednesday on 95.7 The Game. "So Jimmy knows that he has to go out and he has to play well." 

NFL Network's Mike Silver preached the same message Tuesday on 95.7 The Game, too. 

"I think Jimmy Garoppolo is under a lot of pressure to be productive and victorious early because [the 49ers] do like Nick Mullens," Silver said. "If you look at the type of quarterback that Kyle Shanahan's system demands, and who fits that, Nick Mullens checks just about every box."

Both Rice and Silver believe Garoppolo is the superior talent compared to Mullens and should lead the 49ers to a successful season, but they each present sensible cases. 

Mullens, who was named the 49ers' No. 2 quarterback over C.J. Beathard, nearly has identical stats to Garoppolo in Shanahan's system. When Mullens took over last season with Garoppolo sidelined, he threw for 2,277 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in eight games while completing 64.2 percent of his passes. 

In nine games -- eight starts -- Garoppolo has passed for 2,278 yards, 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions for the 49ers, and has a 64.8 completion percentage. 

[RELATED: How Beathard handled Mullens winning 49ers’ No. 2 QB job]

One player is making over $17 million this season. The other is making under $600,000. 

Garoppolo has to have a big season for the 49ers. There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. 

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