Beathard will remain the 49ers' backup quarterback for the team's Week 13 game with the Seahawks after coach Kyle Shanahan announced Monday that Nick Mullens would retain the starting role, Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Mullens will be under center for the fourth consecutive game, but Shanahan made it clear that the Southern Mississippi product's grip on the No. 1 gig is far from secure. Since lighting up the Raiders for 11.9 yards per attempt and three touchdowns in his NFL debut in Week 9, Mullens has regressed badly in his last two outings against mediocre teams in the Giants and Buccaneers, completing 63.4 of his passes for 6.6 YPA, two touchdowns and four interceptions. Mullens will face his stiffest test to date on the road versus the 6-5 Seahawks and could be at risk of getting benched if he struggles for the third game in a row. That would pave the way for Beathard to get another look, but the 2017 third-round pick hasn't proved to be any better of an option through his first two seasons in the league. Over 13 appearances (10 starts), Beathard has completed 57.3 percent of his passes for 6.8 YPA and a 12:13 TD:INT while fumbling eight times.