SANTA CLARA – New 49ers head coach Chip Kelly said it was an attractive situation for him to not only come to a team with Colin Kaepernick but also Blaine Gabbert.
Kelly, hired on Jan. 14, was introduced Wednesday at his first press conference as head coach at Levi’s Stadium. Kelly took the podium, following opening comments from CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke.
“Obviously, Kap is an extremely talented football player,” Kelly said. “And you need to have a good quarterback to win. But I was also impressed in the film I watched in terms of how Blaine played this year, also.
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“I think statistics bear out that you probably need two good quarterbacks in this league with the injury rate quarterbacks have. I think both of those players make this an attractive situation.”
Kelly will call the plays for the 49ers, and he figures to have a big say in the ultimate decision at quarterback, but there is no debate that Baalke has contractual power over the team’s roster.
“Trent has control of the 53, and I’m real comfortable with that,” Kelly said. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t. I think the way this personnel department is set up and how they structure things, I’m excited to be a part of it.”