Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Mullens will remain the 49ers' starting quarterback for their Week 13 game against the Seahawks, Curtis Pashelka of The San Jose Mercury News reports. "We're playing this year out with [Mullens] and [C.J. Beathard] and we'll see how games go," Shanahan said. "We're going to do everything we can to win a game. I know we're preparing with Nick and if he ever struggled I'd bring in C.J. We'll see how it goes."
Mullens will retain the starting role for the 49ers' fourth straight contest, but it's clear the second-year signal-caller's hold on the job is shaky, as Shanahan's comments seemingly suggest. Shanahan expressed frustration in Mullens' performance during the 49ers' 27-9 loss to the Buccaneers this past weekend, with the 23-year-old only completing 18 of 32 attempts for 221 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a matchup with one of the NFL's worst past defenses. That outing came after a poor showing against the Giants in his second start, further dimming the luster of Mullens' outstanding NFL debut in Week 9, when he tossed three touchdowns in a resounding win over the Raiders. After his first three appearances came against losing teams, Mullens will face his stiffest test to date on the road against a Seattle defense that has remained an effective unit even after the season-ending injury to star safety Earl Thomas (lower leg). Should Mullens struggle to keep the chains moving early in the contest, it wouldn't be surprising if Shanahan pulled him in favor of Beathard.