Kyle Shanahan rules out Nick Mullens winning 49ers QB job

Nick Mullens was very impressive filling in for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, but it does not sound like there’s anything the backup can do to get the job permanently.

Coach Kyle Shanahan was asked Wednesday if there was any way Mullens could permanently earn the starting job in Garoppolo’s absence, and the answer was pretty clear.

Can Nick Mullens win the starting job while Jimmy Garoppolo is out?

Kyle Shanahan: “No. That scenario doesn’t exist."

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 30, 2020

Mullens went an impressive 25/36 for the Niners in their Week 3 win, throwing for 343 yards and a touchdown. However, he was playing a bad team in the New York Giants, and does not have a tremendous track record as a starter.

Garoppolo has not given the 49ers any reason to move away from him. In the game and a half before his ankle injury, he had completed 67.3 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and no turnovers. There may be some questions lingering about whether he’s elite, but he did lead the Niners to the NFC title last season.

There was a time when Mullens was rumored to be pushing him for the starting job, but that’s no longer on the table.