For now, Brian Hoyer is the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
But he’s hardly the epitome of an elite NFL passer. For much of his eight-year NFL career he’s been a backup. He's bounced from the Patriots to the Cardinals to the Browns, Texans and Bears before coming to the Bay Area.
Still, Hoyer has a 16-15 record as a starting quarterback in the league, with more than half of his starts coming with a bad Browns franchise, when he was 10-6 in 2013-2014. The 6-foot-3 former Michigan State passer has completed 59.5 percent of his throws for 8,608 yards, 44 touchdowns and 26 interceptions, with a QB rating of 84.8.
After Hoyer agreed to terms with the Niners, general manager John Lynch told reporters the team will continue to look for quarterback talent, through the draft and possible trades.
“I think we were very transparent with Brian in terms of what we’re doing,” Lynch said in an interview on the NFL Network. “And right now he’s our guy. But we’re going to explore – particularly at that position – to be the best that we can be.”
Yet Hoyer – who for now will compete with another free-agent signee, Matt Barkley – said he came to the 49ers because San Francisco gives him a good shot at the starting position. He knows the team could draft a prospect or suddenly acquire another quarterback, such as Washington’s Kirk Cousins. But he doesn’t consider himself as simply a place-holder at the position. He wants to make the most of his opportunity and prove to the 49ers and their fans that he can be more than just a short-term solution. Having worked with 49ers new head coach Kyle Shanahan with the Browns, Hoyer is eager to show what he can do.
“I’m worried about this year, and that’s all I can control, and that’s coming in here and being the best quarterback I can for this organization,” Hoyer told the media. “And so for me, I have a lot of confidence in myself.”
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Hoyer says that after coming into the NFL as an undrafted free agent, he’s used to being constantly tested. No opportunity has ever been handed to him.
“I’m sitting here going into my ninth year with a great chance to be the quarterback for this team, and that’s all I’m looking for. I think you go out and prove it every day.”
