Ponder was drafted in 2011 by the Minnesota Vikings with the 12th overall pick. He would go on to start 26 games during his first two seasons with the Vikings. His best season came in 2012 when he started all 16 games for the Vikings, completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 2,935 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
During his college career, Ponder played for Florida State and was the Seminoles' starting quarterback from 2008 to 2010.
Ponder, who grew up a Broncos fan, signed with Denver in November of 2015, but was waived the next month. The 49ers will practice with the Broncos this week prior to their Week 2 preseason matchup in Denver on Saturday.
The 49ers went through a team walk-through/practice today with just two quarterbacks. Colin Kaepernick is suffering for shoulder soreness and has not fully practiced with the team since Wednesday, August 10. That was six days ago. He missed Sunday's preseason game against the Houston Texans – a game that saw backup quarterback Thad Lewis suffer a torn ACL.
Lewis, who was officially placed on injured reserve today, will miss the season and Kaepernick's status remains unclear despite head coach Chip Kelly calling it "day-to-day."
49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert, Kaepernick, and Ponder were all part of the same 2011 NFL Draft class.
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Why 49ers' Christian McCaffrey is unfazed by early Australia kickoff time vs. Rams
For fans in California, the Week 1 matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will have a familiar prime-time kickoff at 5:35 p.m. However, for the two teams playing the game, it will be an earlier-than-normal 10:35 a.m. kickoff in Melbourne, Australia. The... -
49ers in Week 1 power rankings: 'No reason to expect this year's team to take a step back'
The San Francisco 49ers are set to open their 2026 NFL campaign against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. Several questions still surround the 49ers heading into the new season. How will their revamped receiving corps perform? How much will Nick Bosa's return... -
49ers sign TE Brayden Willis to practice squad
The San Francisco 49ers announced on Sunday that they have signed tight end Brayden Willis to their practice squad a day after waiving him to make room for long snapper Jon Weeks on the 53-man roster. The former Oklahoma Sooner was one of several players competing for roster... -
49ers vs. Rams: 9 limited, 1 sidelined on first injury report of 2026 season
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday (Friday in Melbourne) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia. Monday night's practice (Tuesday morning in Melbourne) marked the 49ers' second full practice...