Three decades ago, Bill Walsh embraced his self-created quarterback controversy. The 49ers‘ Hall of Fame coach ultimately picked Joe Montana while giving Steve Young several starts during the season. After a 6-5 start, Montana led the 49ers to the franchise’s third Super Bowl of the 1980s.
San Francisco’s current coach, Kyle Shanahan, is surely hoping to have the same type of finish in 2021. But like Walsh, Shanahan will have to name a Week 1 starter, something he wasn’t willing to do just yet following his team’s second preseason game, a 15-10 win over the Chargers. Shanahan will ultimately have to pick between Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Trey Lance.
“No, I’m not ready to make an announcement,” Shanahan told reporters, via Cam Inman of The Mercury News.
Shanahan did reveal that he will publicly announce his starter before the 49ers face the Lions in Detroit on Sept. 12. He added that not much has changed in the month since he named the Garoppolo the starter. With that in mind, Garoppolo should still be considered the front-runner to be the 49ers’ Week 1 starter. Speaking of Garoppolo, the former Super Bowl quarterback said that he doesn’t mind the competition.
“Kyle always challenges us,” Garoppolo said. “He knows us and how to push guys in certain ways. I’m not too worried about that. I’m trying to get out there now to get ready for the Raiders. We had a productive week against the Chargers, got a lot of good work out of it. There’s so many other things to worry about. I’ll-let-chips-fall-where-they-may type of thing.”
In Sunday’s win, Garoppolo went 3 of 6 for 15 yards and an interception in just one series of work. Lance, who went 5 of 14 for 128 yards and a touchdown in his preseason debut, went 8 of 14 for 102 yards with two touchdowns and an interception against the Chargers.
While his numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, 49ers defensive tackle Zach Kerr’s quote on Lance does.
“Trey Lance is a generational talent,” Kerr said. “The things he can do with a football, and he’s 21 years old, and the decisions he makes and how polished he is. I’ve seen a lot of different quarterbacks and he is one of the more groomed ones I’ve seen, ever.”
