ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Jon Gruden will consult Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre for a scouting report on the 49ers potential Thursday night starting quarterback, third-stringer Nick Mullens. Favre, a University of Southern Mississippi product, and Mullens, the same, worked closely together when Mullens was in school from 2013-16.
Jalen Richard, the Raiders' backup running back and Mullens' teammate at USM for three of those years, observed their partnership from up close.
"Brett would know (about Mullens) because he and Nick were very tight," Richard said Wednesday. "I know that for a fact.
"Brett's a different cat. He's cool, though. He and Nick, he was always helping Nick out with stuff. I think he throws with him. They work out."
Mullens has yet to play a regular season NFL snap since signing with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent last year. He began this season on the practice squad, but Jimmy Garoppolo's season-ending ACL tear in Week 3 spurred Mullins' promotion to the active roster. Now with C.J. Beathard nursing a sore wrist and officially carrying a "questionable" designation ahead of Thursday night's game at Levi's Stadium, Mullens might see his first meaningful action in prime time against the Raiders.
Mullens completed 31 of 43 passes in the preseason for 396 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He also ran five times for 20 yards and two scores.
"I'll get a hold of Brett Favre and learn a little bit more. Jalen Richard has helped us a little bit," Gruden said of preparing for Mullens if he indeed starts. "He was a good player in the preseason, athletic guy. You never underestimate anybody in this league. He did some really good things as a quarterback in the preseason. We have a lot of respect for whoever is under center."
Gruden and Favre go back to when Gruden was an offensive assistant with the Packers during Favre's sophomore season in 1992. Gruden then coached Packers wide receivers the following two years, so it's not like Favre is helping a stranger game plan for a young quarterback he's friendly with, too.
If Mullens beats the Raiders, that would stoop Oakland's season to an unimaginable new low. Gruden and Co. hope the sage advice from one of the all-time greats, along with a defensive showing resembling that of a competitive NFL team, help prevent a bad season from getting even worse.
"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter who is playing quarterback," Raiders defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said. "We've got to play better. What we showed on Sunday was unacceptable. I told you a few weeks back, I'm not used to giving up 42 points. This is new to me.
" ... To me, who we're playing against is the least of my concern."
