Thev 49ers to bench Colin Kaepernick, start Blaine Gabbert against Falcons

Now 2-6, the 49ers have chosen to bench their "franchise quarterback" Colin Kaepernick in exchange for former first-round draft pick Blaine Gabbert.

The 49ers coach was asked about Kaepernick's status today, and he stopped well short of giving Kaepernick his full backing.

On the season, Kaepernick has completed 144 or 243 passes (59.3 percent) for six touchdowns and five interceptions.

Ian Rapoport and others have also been reporting that Kaepernick faced a split locker room. There's a split on the team of guys wanting him to be the quarterback or guys not rallying behind him, " McGinest said. "Unless those stories are coming from in here they're false".

Kyle McLorg of Bay Area Sports Guy broke the news Monday night.

It's also no secret that the 49ers know this season is going nowhere under Kaepernick's guidance.

"", was Tomsula's . "I don't have any comments on any position on our field right now", Tomsula said. I'm very interested to see if there is a vast improvement with him behind center.

And, of course, because it is the Internet in 2015, someone had to go ahead and photoshop the crying Michael Jordan face on Kaepernick's body.

"It needs a jolt, and needs it from every position", fullback Bruce Miller said. "I don't think it's talent, I don't think it's ability". The 2-6 49ers are sitting at the bottom of the NFC West, the only team with a losing record in their division. Kaepernick has looked completely lost without Jim Harbaugh, and he's not running almost as effective as he used to.

The San Francisco 49ers made the Super Bowl not too long ago - if you can believe that. Gabbert, a failed first-round pick with the Jacksonville Jaguars, has had a bad National Football League career, but the 49ers couldn't have figured there was much to lose. "I'm not going down that road", Tomsula said.

It appears the 49ers front office has run out of patience with QB Colin Kaepernick, as reports have the 49ers benching the fifth-year veteran in favor of Blaine Gabbert this Sunday. "In my opinion this is a coaches' decision, OK?"

They'll hold on to Kaepernick until the end of the season and will give him every opportunity to prove himself until the end of the season. That was part of depletion of talent the San Jose Mercury News blames squarely on general manager Trent Baalke.

Former Australian Rugby League star Jarryd Hayne, waived Saturday, was signed to the practice squad.