The San Francisco 49ers have agreed to a one-year contract with quarterback Joshua Dobbs, his agent announced Monday.
“Congratulations on @josh_dobbs1 agreeing to a one-year deal with the @49ers,” agent Mike McCartney Published on X.
The 49ers are giving Dobbs a fully guaranteed deal worth $2.25 million for the 2024 season that includes another $750,000 in playing time incentives, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Dobbs will likely replace Sam Darnold as the 49ers' backup quarterback behind starter Brock Purdy. Darnold signed with the Minnesota Vikings, the team Dubbs finished with last season.
The 29-year-old Dobbs, a career reserve heading into 2023, produced one of the most unique stories in the NFL last season, starting with his late-August trade from the Cleveland Browns to the Arizona Cardinals, who were in need of a starting shortstop. While Kyler Murray completed his current position. Recovering from a knee injury.
Despite arriving after training camp, Dobbs started the Cardinals' first eight games, completing 62.8% of his passes for 1,569 yards and eight touchdowns. But he also committed 12 turnovers — eight interceptions and four fumbles — and the Cardinals lost seven of those eight games before Dobbs was benched.
The Vikings acquired him on October 31 as an emergency reserve after losing starter Kirk Cousins (Achilles) and backup Nick Mullens, who was recovering from a back injury. Then, just five days after the trade and after not taking any practice reps with the Vikings offense, Dubbs replaced injured starter Jarren Hall and led Minnesota to a wild 31-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons. A 27-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints the following week, combined with his background as an aerospace engineering major at Tennessee, made him a national champion. One NASA official called him “the astronaut.”
But Dobbs lost his effectiveness offensively after that, and did not play again after coach Kevin O'Connell benched him in the fourth quarter of a 3-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14.
Combining his time with the Cardinals and Vikings, Dobbs threw for 2,464 yards in 12 starts. He committed 17 turnovers and his teams were 3-9 in those games.
Dobbs has played for four teams since being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a fourth-round pick in 2017. He has thrown for 2,920 yards, with 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
ESPN's Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.
