Beathard (knee, hip) will be relegated to a reserve role Sunday in Chicago after head coach Kyle Shanahan named Jimmy Garoppolo the starting quarterback for the contest.
Beathard suffered a knee contusion and hip strain in the late stages of Sunday's defeat to the Seahawks, allowing Garoppolo to make his first appearance as a 49er. Garoppolo proceeded to lead the offense to its only touchdown of the day with 1:07 left on the clock and 23 yards from the end zone. Prior to Beathard's departure, Shanahan had been steadfast in his support of the rookie, despite little perceived progress statistically or otherwise. As a result, Garoppolo may just be a placeholder for Beathard until his health is restored, barring the former thoroughly impressing as the starter.