On 3rd-and-11, Hoyer dropped back, found his target and tried to throw the football. The problem was that when his arm went forward, something was missing – the football. Broncos defensive end Shelby Harris ended up with the football in his arms. It was one of four first half turnovers in the game, all of which resulted in points for Denver.
Rarely do you see a quarterback wind up and lose the football without getting touched. Hoyer discussed the bizarre play following the game.
"I was getting ready to rip it to (WR Jeremy) Kerley," Hoyer said. "He had a double-move route and I thought he was going to win. I went to throw it and I was going to throw it hard and, literally, I think my arm even went forward and then you're like looking around like, 'Where's the — what happened to the ball?'
"My quarterback coach asked me, 'When's the last time that happened to you?' I think maybe a few years ago in practice it happened one time. I've never really had that happen in a game. It's like the worst feeling. You go to throw the ball and you're looking and then all of a sudden you look around — you have no idea where it is. It literally is the worst feeling that I've had as a quarterback."
Hoyer didn't feel that the ball was slippery or that anything else went wrong during the play. From his perspective, the football just vanished from his hands.
"There's a lot of stuff going on out there," Hoyer said. "All I know is that I went to go throw the ball and my arm went forward and the ball wasn't in it."
One positive from Hoyer's preseason playing time has been the fact that he has gotten good protection from his offensive line. He has not yet been sacked.
"I thought our pass protection was unbelievable," Hoyer said. "I didn't get touched all night and that's two weeks in a row against two pretty good defenses where our offensive line has done a great job in pass protection."
Hoyer completed eight of his 11 passes for 89 yards and an interception against the Broncos.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
PFF's best and worst 49ers signings from 2024 highlight free agency missteps
Pro Football Focus (PFF) contributor Dalton Wasserman recently analyzed the analytics site's extensive data to pinpoint each NFL team's best and worst signings from the 2024 free agency cycle. The San Francisco 49ers, aiming to bolster their defensive line, made several... -
The Draft Network's mock draft projects popular pick to 49ers
As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, many mock drafts predict that the San Francisco 49ers will focus on bolstering their offensive line with the 11th overall pick. Mason Johnstone of The Draft Network shares this view, selecting Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. for the... -
Star player's wife 'a tad salty' about 49ers missing the playoffs
Kristin Juszczyk had different plans for January. She expected to spend the month watching football—but not from her couch. Instead, she anticipated cheering on her husband, San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, from NFL stadiums as the team made another postseason... -
PFF names 49ers' breakout candidate for 2025
Pro Football Focus contributor Bradley Locker recently identified one breakout candidate for every NFL team heading into 2025. The pick for the San Francisco 49ers was wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, a young player whose 2024 rookie campaign took an unexpected turn. The 49ers...