Mullens didn't look like a backup, though. The head coach of the 49ers' next opponent, Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles, went so far as to say that San Francisco is blessed to have what he feels are two starting quarterbacks.
Sunday was Mullens' ninth NFL start, and Young doesn't believe we've seen his best yet. The Hall of Famer was asked if Mullens could lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl if Garoppolo could not play.
"I would not say no," Young responded. "He'd have to go prove it to everybody, like everyone does. But I don't see a reason why not. From my perspective, what I've seen of Nick and what Kyle (Shanahan) does, I feel if that happened, I wouldn't say, 'Oh well, we're dead.' No, I would not say we're dead."
Young added that he feels Shanahan is comfortable with Mullens leading the team, and the coach didn't need to limit the offensive playbook for his backup quarterback. Mullens, after all, has been with the team since 2017 — when Shanahan arrived.
In April, a report stated the 49ers turned down multiple trade offers for Mullens, which shows how much he is valued. We don't know what those offers may have included, but there is no doubt that Shanahan and company are fond of Mullens and feel he could be vital to the team's success. That was evident against the Giants.
"I would want to go see it, but I don't believe he's got a ceiling that's obvious right now," Young added.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Young below.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Kyle Shanahan, Brock Purdy, Nick Sorensen preview 49ers-Rams Week 15 matchup
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, quarterback Brock Purdy, and defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen spoke to reporters ahead of Tuesday's practice as the team prepares for its Week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Here's everything they said. Transcripts... -
No Nick Bosa or Trent Williams at final 49ers practice before Bears game
Defensive end Nick Bosa and left tackle Trent Williams were absent during the early portion of Friday's practice, the segment open to the media. Neither player has participated in practice this week, raising significant doubts about their availability for Sunday's matchup... -
49ers vs. Bears: Kyle Shanahan provides updates on Nick Bosa, Trent Williams
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa and tackle Trent Williams have not practiced this week after missing their second consecutive game, casting doubt on their availability for Sunday's matchup against the Chicago Bears. Head coach Kyle Shanahan provided updates on both... -
No sign of Nick Bosa or Trent Williams at 49ers' Thursday practice
The San Francisco 49ers took the practice field on Thursday for the second session of the week, with one more practice scheduled for Friday before hosting the Chicago Bears at Levi's Stadium on Sunday. However, two key starters—defensive end Nick Bosa and tackle Trent...