LISTEN: The 49ers Season Is Over →

The Curious Case of the 49ers’ “Non” Quarterback Controversy

Marc Adams
Aug 4, 2021 at 1:53 PM


placeholder image

Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.

Writing about the 49ers quarterback situation can be risky. I wrote an article that was "pro" Jimmy Garoppolo. Hatred followed. The "anti-Jimmy" crowd didn't want to read about him. I wrote an article that was "pro" Trey Lance. All I heard was that he isn't ready and we shouldn't keep writing about him and putting pressure on him.

The 49ers have a rich history of quarterbacks, and their fans expect greatness from each one. And so this is always a hot topic. If you don't believe me, Google "Alex Smith 49ers."

The current quarterback situation has been a curious one so far. We were told that there is no quarterback controversy. We were told not to expect anyone other than Garoppolo to start this season, especially early on, for the 49ers. Longtime beat writers told us this. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told us this. The fact that they drafted a quarterback who had played in only one game the previous season told us this. I even wrote about this. Multiple times. I truly believed that Lance would not start this season, until perhaps the final regular season game. But there have been some clues along the way that are forcing me to reconsider my stance. We all know the old clues:

  1. 2019 NFC Championship Game. Garoppolo had only eight pass attempts. I didn't think much about it then, because the run game was so dominant that night.
  2. Flirting with Tom Brady. A lot has been written about the 49ers 2020 offseason consideration of signing Brady, who was a free agent at the time. I won't add to it, other than to say I believed it was just something they considered for a moment and then decided against. Who could blame them? I don't blame them for flirting, or for deciding to stay with their current quarterback.
  3. Another season lost to injuries. 2020. Enough said.
  4. Flirting with other quarterbacks in the 2021 offseason. It is no secret that the team's front office considered trading for or signing other quarterbacks this past spring.
  5. Trading up for the third overall pick in the draft. Here's where things take a turn. Everyone knew the team had traded up for a quarterback. Garoppolo's days were numbered.
  6. Drafting Trey Lance. Even with Lance as the pick, we still were told that Garoppolo would start the season, while Lance sat and learned, much like Patrick Mahomes sat for a year.

But it's actually the recent clues that have caused me to reconsider my earlier predictions:

  1. Shanahan going out of his way to proclaim Garoppolo the starter...right now. Key words: "right now." So sneaky how he always gets that last part in. And he has done this a lot.
  2. Shanahan going out of his way to praise Garoppolo and downplay Lance. At first I thought this was normal coaching stuff. But I'm becoming more and more convinced that Shanahan is doing this strategically. He seems to have a purpose for everything he says. So when a reporter mentions how Lance has logged the most hours in his playbook, Shanahan makes a point to suggest anyone can make it look like he's studying, when he actually may not be. That was brilliant.
  3. Shanahan suggesting he put Lance in with the first team for the sake of the offensive line. He may very well be telling the truth, but I think he is toying with us.
  4. Beat writer, Grant Cohn likes Lance. If Cohn likes a player, there may be something there. He usually doesn't like anyone.
  5. Other beat writers changing their tunes. There are some beat writers I have followed for many years. I trust them. They are usually right when predicting what the 49ers will do. They have been telling us for months that Garoppolo would be the starter. But over the last week, they have started to shift in their thinking. Consider some of the things some have recently posted while watching the quarterback "non" controversy:
  • "The 49ers quarterback competition ended before it technically started." -Grant Cohn
  • "I can't emphasize enough how effective the zone read was from Lance. Defense running one way, Lance with nothing but grass in front of him." -Jason Aponte
  • "Kyle Shanahan says there is no QB competition. He's right. There's a long way to go in camp, but Trey Lance gives the 49ers a better chance to win. It's not even close." -Dieter Kurtenbach
  • "Suffice to say it was a strong day for Lance. How strong? He threw one incompletion, which came on the final throw of practice. (Too deep for Richie James)." -Matt Barrows
  • "The 49ers' QB race is compelling once again..." -Cam Inman
  • "Trey Lance was the best player on the field today and it was not particularly close imo Spectacular performance from the rookie today." -Jordan

These are the clues. It's a curious case. But it's becoming less and less curious. There may not be a quarterback controversy, as some suggest. But there may soon come an announcement that could surprise us still.

The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.
Enjoy this article? Follow us to never miss more!

Powered by Follow.it


Comments

More San Francisco 49ers News

placeholder image

49ers mailbag: What do the 49ers have left in the tank for the last four games? Will SF bring back Robert Saleh? Can Brock Purdy beat good teams?

By Marc Adams
Dec 11

It's always a big week when the San Francisco 49ers play the Los Angeles Rams. In 2021, the rivalry became even bigger when the 49ers had to win in the season's final week, in Los Angeles, to make it into the playoffs. On Thursday night, the 49ers must win again to keep their...


placeholder image

49ers vs. Rams injury updates: Ji'Ayir Brown questionable to return

By David Bonilla
Dec 12

The San Francisco 49ers entered Thursday night's NFC West showdown against the Los Angeles Rams without key players, most notably left tackle Trent Williams, who is sidelined for the fourth straight game with an ankle injury. On defense, standout rookie safety Malik Mustapha...


placeholder image

Pelissero: 49ers' Brock Purdy likely to pursue top-market contract

By David Bonilla
11 hrs

As the San Francisco 49ers' 2024 season winds down, all eyes are shifting toward what could be the offseason's biggest storyline: Brock Purdy's contract extension. The topic has already generated significant buzz, with many experts predicting that Purdy will reset the...


placeholder image

49ers vs. Bears final injury report: Williams won't play, Bosa doubtful

By David Bonilla
Dec 6

The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 14 contest against the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Both teams have released their official injury reports, which are provided below. San Francisco 49ers Out LB Dre Greenlaw...


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone