49ers fans have officially had enough of quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
Less than a week after playing what San Francisco head coach Chip Kelly described as his best game of the season, Gabbert struggled on Thursday night against the Cardinals and put forth one of his worst efforts of the year. He threw for just 164 yards, was intercepted twice, and got sacked seven times during the 49ers’ 33-21 loss to Arizona. That loss dropped San Fran to 1-4 on the season, and the 49ers fans gathered at Levi’s Stadium on Thursday let Kelly know who they want to see playing quarterback by chanting "We want Kaep!" and calling for Colin Kaepernick to take the field during the third quarter of the game:
After the game, Gabbert said he was "focused" in on the game and didn’t hear the chant, but several of his teammates admitted that they did. "Yeah, I’m not deaf," offensive lineman Joe Staley said. "I mean, I’m focused. I’m doing my job. Just like last week, we gave the Cowboys a lot of chances. This week, [the fans] chanting that."
"I did, yeah," Staley’s fellow offensive lineman Daniel Kilgore said when he was asked if he also heard the chant. "We’ve got tunnel vision on our job and what we’ve got to do, regardless of whose back there. I’ve got to make sure I snap the ball to somebody. Blaine or Kaep. I’ve got to protect for them."
It’s worth noting that, a short time after 49ers fans started chanting, Gabbert actually led the 49ers down the field on an 11-play, 82-yard touchdown drive. But despite that brief success, Kelly said he’s going to "look at everything" over the next week and consider making a change at quarterback. "We are 1-4," he said. "We have got to make sure we’re going out there and giving us the best chance to win, so we’re going to look at everything."
Despite Gabbert’s struggles, there’s a good chance Kaepernick will remain on the sideline for the rest of the season—and despite what conspiracy theorists might tell you, it’s (probably!) not because of his recent national anthem protests. Rather, as Fox Sports pointed out on Thursday night, it’s because if Kaepernick were to play and get injured and sustain an injury that lasted through next April, it could end up costing the 49ers more than $14 million because of how his contract is structured. So regardless of how hard 49ers fans chant for him, he might not be a viable option for his team this season.
