Quarterback Nick Mullens is the hot hand.
Donte Whitner sees no reason to take Mullens out of the lineup after he played well in the 49ers’ 34-3 victory over the Raiders on Thursday, which snapped the team's six-game losing streak.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday he would not make an announcement on his starting quarterback until he had an opportunity to speak with Mullens and C.J. Beathard. The 49ers had four scheduled days off before returning to work for next Monday’s game against the New York Giants.
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Whitner, the former 49ers Pro Bowl safety who is now an analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area, said on Xfinity Sports Sunday that Mullens earned another start with an opportunity to remain in that position for the remainder of the season.
“Whenever you go out there and play an efficient game like Nick Mullens played, you get into the end zone three times, you end the losing streak, get a win and put it on the board, you have to go with the hot hand,” Whitner said.
Mullens completed 16 of 22 passes for 262 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in his NFL debut.
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”He can go out there and beat the Giants,” Whitner said. “If he continues to win, I don’t see why you’d take him out for the rest of the year.”
The 49ers did not win in Beathard's five starts after taking over for injured starter Jimmy Garoppolo. Beathard has completed 102 of 169 attempts (60.4 percent) for 1,252 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.