placeholder image

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports


49ers quarterback Nick Mullens excited to finally evaluate himself this offseason

Jan 12, 2019 at 10:30 AM--


Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Nick Mullens will likely report to the San Francisco 49ers in April as the favorite to win the backup quarterback job. Presumed starter Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a torn ACL in September and will not begin throwing in practices until late May or early June when the team kicks off organized team activities.

For Mullens, the time before that will be crucial to proving he, not former third-round draft pick C.J. Beathard, should be Garoppolo's backup. Of course, nothing will be handed to him, which Mullens is used to.

"No matter what the situation is, I'm competing every day," Mullens told reporters on December 31. "Every day you're in the NFL, you're competing and so my mindset doesn't change. Just do what I'm supposed to do, and do more than what's required, and let the chips fall where they may."

Mullens started the 49ers' final eight games of the season after an injury sidelined Beathard. He took advantage of the opportunity and never surrendered the starting job after taking it over.

While Mullens had only three wins in his eight starts, his play was impressive considering San Francisco signed him in 2017 as an undrafted free agent. Mullens passed for 2,277 yards with 13 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and a passer rating of 90.8. And he did so while showing poise and command of the offense.

"I think I can just get a lot better, to be honest," Mullens continued. "I'm really proud that I got the opportunity. I'm pretty proud of the stuff that I put on tape, but I know where I can improve, and I know I can get better. That's the most exciting part about going into the offseason."

Mullens finally has some NFL game film of himself to review this offseason after spending most of his time in San Francisco on the practice squad. That either meant mimicking an opposing quarterback for the defense to practice against or playing a different position entirely.

Fun fact: Mullens often found himself playing safety and general manager John Lynch, an accomplished former player at the position, would tease the young quarterback about his backpedaling technique.

Back to the game film, Mullens plans to utilize it for the first time during an offseason to further improve.

"That will be fun," Mullens said. "Last year, I was watching film on different guys. So now, I can evaluate myself. That will be a unique aspect of the offseason. But there's always more to learn. There's always more to nail down and just pay attention to all the little details. Just always more to learn, so that's what I'm excited for going into the offseason."

If all goes as planned, Mullens won't step foot on the football field in 2019 unless the 49ers are winning a game by a significant margin. A lot will be riding on Garoppolo staying healthy for 16 games (or more). This is, however, the NFL, so you never know what might happen, and Mullens plans to be ready if his number is called again.

Mullens is grateful for the opportunity his coaches gave him this past season and the trust they displayed in the Southern Miss product.

"I had a blast," Mullens said. "I really did. The record might not be what we wanted but getting out there, playing ball, competing, that's why I do the job that I do. We love to compete. We love to play ball. It was a lot of fun but definitely would like to get the win column a lot higher than it is."

As for his competition, Beathard, don't expect a nasty offseason battle between the two. The quarterbacks, who entered the NFL during the same offseason, are close and support each other any way they can both on game days and in the meeting room.

"We have a great relationship," Mullens said of Beathard. "We've known each other for a couple of years now. Our wives and girlfriends are friends. We help each other, talk about the way the game plays out, talk about a lot of different things.

"We're really good friends, great teammates, and we make each other better. It's a great relationship, for sure. C.J. is awesome."



Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

No Huddle Podcast: 49ers Offseason Crossover With John Chapman

By Site Staff
Mar 21

(Episode 323) — Brian Renick and Al Sacco welcome Josh Chapman of the 49ers Rush podcast for a special crossover episode. The guys discuss the trade rumors with Brandon Aiyuk, if he is a top-10 wide receiver, the offensive line aging, how the 49ers plan to build the line, the biggest concerns in the secondary, who to draft in the 1st round, and more. The audio for the show is embedded above. Remember to subscribe! You can listen to the latest "No Huddle Podcast" episode above, from our dedicated podcast page, on


placeholder image

49ers Notebook: Crucial offseason for Purdy; O-line confidence; Shanahan on new kickoff rule, Dobbs signing; Hufanga eyes training camp return

By David Bonilla
Mar 26

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan doesn't have to field as many quarterback questions as he did a year ago after Brock Purdy underwent surgery, the arrival of Sam Darnold, and the uncertainty surrounding the future of Trey Lance. The quarterback situation is clearer now than it has been in recent years. For Purdy, this offseason holds significant importance. It marks the first time he can focus on on-field improvement during minicamps, OTAs, and training camp. While he had this opportunity as a rookie in 2022, he was buried on the depth chart, limiting his practice reps. Last year, Purdy was still recovering from surgery to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. He didn't get to throw to his teammates until training camp in


placeholder image

Leonard Floyd eager to pair up with Nick Bosa along 49ers D-line

By David Bonilla
Mar 21

Leonard Floyd is eager to begin working with his new San Francisco 49ers coaches and teammates. In free agency, the team signed the former Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams pass rusher to line up opposite star defensive end Nick Bosa, providing a boost to a defensive front that was inconsistent in 2023. Floyd matched his career-high with 10.5 sacks last season with the Bills, a statistic that would have tied with Bosa for the 49ers' team-high in 2023. In a recent interview with team reporter Lindsey Pallares, Floyd was asked how he believes his skillset complements Bosa's. "I believe our skill sets will complement each other well," Floyd responded. "We both been guys who've


placeholder image

Kyle Shanahan explains why 49ers promoted Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator

By David Bonilla
Mar 26

After Steve Wilks's dismissal, the San Francisco 49ers had several options for their vacant defensive coordinator position. Although former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley was considered for the role, he ultimately joined the coaching staff as the assistant head coach under head coach Kyle Shanahan. He will focus on game plan preparations while offering his experience to the team. Nick Sorensen, the team's defensive pass game specialist, was awarded the defensive coordinator position. Shanahan opted for an internal candidate, valuing Sorensen's familiarity with the staff and the defensive system. When asked what qualities Sorensen demonstrated to prove he's ready to call plays for the defense, Shanahan explained, "He's worked with a lot of people


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone