49ers' Shanahan names C.J. Beathard starting QB

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan named rookie C.J. Beathard the team's new starting quarterback Sunday.

Beathard replaced Brian Hoyer in the second quarter of that afternoon's game against the Washington Redskins and went on to complete 19-of-36 pass attempts for 245 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a 26-24 loss.

The 49ers selected Beathard out of Iowa in the third round of the 2017 draft.

Hoyer, a nine-year NFL veteran, had started all six games for the 49ers this season, completing 119 of 205 pass attempts for 1,245 passing yards, with four touchdowns and four interceptions.

Signed as a free agent in the offseason, Hoyer was widely viewed as a stopgap at the position for Shanahan's and general manager John Lynch's first season in charge of the team.

Now 0-6, the 49ers will be able to see what they have in their rookie signal-caller before potentially turning their attention toward the top of the 2018 draft and the upcoming free-agent class - likely to include former Shanahan pupil and current Redskins starter Kirk Cousins.

Copyright (C) 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.