Nobody really knows these days exactly where Nick Mullens is going with the 49ers, but now he’s at least receiving another chance to get there. Where the third-year veteran takes his latest opportunity behind center during the remainder of this season could have a heavy say in where San Francisco ultimately is going at the quarterback position.
As they close out a forgettable November and prepare for a consequential December stretch run, the 49ers are going with Mullens.
And maybe even for longer than that, depending on how Mullens performs and how the rest of this tumultuous season plays out for the defending NFC champions.
Mullens, of course, knows better than to look ahead.
“You just take it one step at a time, one game at a time, one week at a time,” Mullens said in early November after taking over as the starter from an injured Jimmy Garoppolo for the second time this season.
That’s a lesson Mullens has been learning since his apprenticeship days with the 49ers when, as an undrafted rookie free agent languishing on the practice squad in 2017, you could find him playing safety on San Francisco’s scout team during 11-on-11 team drills.
Mullens is not that guy anymore. He’s certainly not that bottom-of-the-depth-chart quarterback anymore.
He’s a legitimate NFL quarterback now, a guy who could start for several NFL teams, a guy who — despite his backup status in San Francisco — already has compiled 12 career starts with the 49ers as the team returns to action from its Nov. 22 bye week.
This story is from the December 2020 edition of Niner Report.
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This story is from the December 2020 edition of Niner Report.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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