SANTA CLARA — The 49ers have some time to determine who will start at quarterback after their Week 11 bye, but the likely choice still is Nick Mullens.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan was brief when discussing who would be under center after the break, but he did initially say Mullens would get the nod for a third start.
“I’m sure,” Shanahan said, “but I haven’t thought about it yet.”
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Mullens’ second start wasn’t nearly as impressive as his first, but he still remained cool under pressure. He completed 27 of his 39 passes for 250 yards and one touchdown. Unfortunately, he also gets credit for throwing two interceptions, which gave him a passer rating of 73.7.
Shanahan said that even while facing the adversity of throwing interceptions, Mullens stayed steady.
“He was the same,” Shanahan said. “He had one early. Didn’t change. Didn’t get gun shy. Played his game. I don’t think the picks affected him. He played his game.”
While Mullens might get a third start, Shanahan has been vocal about not having given up on C.J. Beathard. There likely will be a point in the remainder of the season where he is back on the field leading the 49ers’ offense.
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Earlier in the week, Shanahan spoke about giving Beathard a chance to get healthy.
“I think C.J. started off well, and I think he went through a tough stretch,” Shanahan said. “I think it is good for him to sit back and get fully healthy and heal up and watch someone else do it. He’s only a play away from getting in. So, he’ll be ready.”
The day before Mullens made his NFL debut against the Raiders, Shanahan maintained that a healthy Beathard clearly was the best quarterback on the 49ers' 53-man roster.
“As I’ve said,” Shanahan said, “and I still firmly believe, if C.J. is healthy, he does give us the best chance to win. We just got to see if he’s going to be healthy.”
Shahanan also has said, more than once, that his decision on who starts at quarterback will be made on a week-to-week basis.
The 49ers have the week off before they begin preparations to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Nov. 25.