The 49ers lost another game Sunday, but may have found a quarterback.
San Francisco fell to 0-6 this season with a 26-24 defeat in Washington, but in the process first-year head coach Kyle Shanahan pulled the plug on starting QB Brian Hoyer.
Recently, Shanahan had backed Hoyer and said he wasn’t ready to go to the rookie Beathard. Shanahan had told reporters he still had faith in the veteran Hoyer, but acknowledged “he needs to play better.”
But on Sunday, Shanahan had seen enough.
With 6:39 to go in the second quarter, already trailing 14-0 and Hoyer just 4-of-11 passing for 34 yards (and a horrible passer rating of 45.3), Shanahan pulled Hoyer in favor of Beathard.
The rookie from Iowa promptly completed his first pass of his pro career, a 13-yard strike to tight end Garrett Celek, then led his team to two touchdowns and a field goal to forge a 17-17 tie going into the fourth quarter. After Washington responded by going up 26-17, Beathard then rallied the 49ers back to within three points, 27-24, on a 45-yard TD pass to Aldrick Robinson.
Beathard then had a chance to lead his team to an upset, but a last-chance drive stalled at the 50-yard line when Beathard was intercepted on a late, long, last-gasp play, and Washington came away with the win. It marked the fifth straight close loss for the 49ers who’ve now lost their past fives games by a total of 13 points.
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Robbie Gould's first missed field-goal attempt of the season, a 47-yarder, proved to be a crucial mistake.
Beathard finished the game 19-of-36 passing for 245 yards, one TD and one interception and a quarterback rating of 72.1. He also scrambled for 14 yards on his only carry.
In a week where the 49ers released veteran linebacker NaVorro Bowman and reportedly shopped running back Carlos Hyde, the Niners appear to be willing to roll the dice the remainder of the season to see what their young players can do.
And Beathard – who showed a strong arm, good pocket presence and an ability to make plays – should remain at QB next week, when San Francisco will host the Dallas Cowboys.
