Head coach Kyle Shanahan has informed Nick Mullens that he will be the primary backup quarterback to starter Jimmy Garoppolo. Mullens briefly spoke with reporters after Monday's practice and informed them of the news.

C.J. Beathard will be the third quarterback on the depth chart.


"The coaches have notified us," Mullens said. "I will serve as the backup. That doesn't really change my mindset. I've just got to take one day at a time, and all three of us will continue to push each other and make each other better in practice and in the game."

The decision should not come as a surprise to fans. Mullens started the 49ers' final eight games of last season after Beathard's five starts. The two competed this offseason and during the preseason for the backup quarterback job behind Garoppolo and both were kept on San Francisco's 53-player roster.

Mullens believes both he and Beathard are better quarterbacks because of the offseason competition.

The decision had already been made by the end of last week but Shanahan said he wanted to wait until Monday to inform his quarterbacks before announcing it to the media. The discussion actually came on Friday, the same day Mullens was with his wife, Haleigh, as the happy couple became first-time parents with the birth of their son, Luke Clayton Mullens.

"Pretty cool week, very thankful," Mullens said while adding that the baby is healthy and happy.


The 49ers signed Mullens as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Miss in 2017. He completed 176-of-274 attempts (64.2 percent) for 2,277 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions through eight starts with the 49ers in 2018.

Mullens appeared in each of San Francisco's four preseason games this year. He completed 22-of-34 passes for 229 yards with two touchdowns, an interception, and a passer rating of 91.4 in those games.

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