On bye week plans:
Yea, well, with the CBA, it's mandated there with the four days off. The older guys, we'll have everybody here today, and then tomorrow will be some of the younger guys, and some of the guys we want extra work with. We'll do that tomorrow, and then everybody's gone. Except for the injured guys. Everybody with a bump or a bruise will be here through the week.
On Gabbert as starting QB:
Yea guys, we're gonna move ahead here, and Blaine's gonna stay in that role, and we're just going to move forward that way right now.
On why the wait to announce it:
Well because, I know everybody wants to know everything right away, but my point is, I'm going to speak to the people here whose lives it directly affects, and we're going to talk about it here before we talk about it anywhere else.
On talking with Baalke about it and joint decision:
No, I mean obviously any decisions football-wise, and who's playing on the field. And then I get with the coaches, and we do our thing. And then always make sure we let them know what we're doing.
On dealing with Colin Kaepernick and the benching:
Well listen, I just met with the guys and let them know that we're moving forward with the way we were. With Blaine in that seat, and no big things, I mean Colin has handled himself just unbelievably, ok? And I think people know how I feel about Colin Kaepernick, and what I think of him, and how much I think of him. And I do believe in the person. And he has handled himself just awesome here, and with his teammates, that part of it you couldn't ask for any better, ok? So, that's my feelings.
On team response to the news:
Well there's no big, I mean that's not how it goes. It's not a press conference in front of the football team, for god's sakes. It's just, here we go, and we're going. There are meetings right now, and we'll go out and get some good work in today, and we just keep moving on.
On longterm plans:
I'm not going to go into that. We're going in, and I've said it a lot; my calendar is this Sunday. We're open this week, and then we‘ve got next week, and that's where we're going.
On not making longer commitment yet:
Yea, I'm not going anywhere. We're just working on what we're looking at right now. Getting combinations together on the field. We need to win football games, and we need to win them one at a time. So we're going to focus on winning one football at a time.
On what got Gabbert the next start:
Well, we won the football game. I thought he did a nice job out there. He had an opportunity, and I thought he did very well with his opportunity. And come back and watch film, and what I felt during the game and when I watched on tape matched up for me, and I made a decision.
On qualities he showed that were lacking in Kap:
There guys, I'm not going into. This isn't a compare and contrast to me. It's not. It's Blaine Gabbert, it's Colin Kaepernick. Just quite frankly, I've made a decision with Blaine Gabbert right now, and that's where we're going. I'm not into comparing the two guys. It's two different guys, two different football players.
On what Gabbert has done well on film:
In the game, I mean you all watched it. He did a nice job out there. He played football with his brain, he played it with his feet, he played it with his arm. I thought he spread the ball around really well. He got us in and out of plays we needed to get in and out of. When it was time to run and use his feet, he did. I just liked the way he played the game.
On difficulty of dealing with this kind of situation:
Well no, in terms of talking about it with the media, and again I respect the media, I really respect the fans, and I understand everybody has a right to know. On the other side of it, all these decisions, whether it's the nose guard...the quarterback is the most important position in all of sports, and I get it. And everything that goes around it. But when you switch nose guards, any of these guys on the field, when there's a position change, when there's a changeup on the lineup, that's a living, breathing human being. That's what that is to me. That's pretty much where I keep it. I'd like to handle things the right way. Obviously I'm excited for Blaine, I'm very excited for the opportunity he had, and he's gonna have again. And I'm also very excited for Colin Kaepernick as he moves on here and keeps rolling, and the future for him. As a coach, you want nothing but the best for all your players. So that's just where I am with all that.
On strong defensive performance and tumultuous week unifying them:
Well, I don't know with all those things that you mentioned. The guys went out and played, obviously you said Cromartie. Cromartie's been here since last year. He hasn't been on the 53, but he's been here. You've been able to watch him every day in practice, and the way he works, and how important it is to him, how tough he is. He has, to his credit, really stayed in the meetings and stayed on top of everything that he needed to stay on top of. He had an opportunity in that game, and he really stepped up to the plate. So did Dontae Johnson. Dontae played a very good football game. I was proud of those two guys, the way they stepped in, and what they did. Tartt obviously the week before getting put in there. These guys are really, they're really working hard at it, mentally and physically. It's really important to them, and the way the coaches are working with them. The combination of the two, the way the coaches and the players are working together. Really just dotting ever I, and crossing every T, and preparing like crazy for these games.
On Bowman leadership in win:
Yea, well I thought Bo had a nice game, a really nice game. I thought he played really well. But I thought that front seven, that box in there playing together, the d-line and the backers, inside and outside backers, and the way they played. I thought the plan and the way those guys executed the plan was really, really good. I felt really good for those guys.
On taking time to enjoy the win:
I don't know guys. I get ripped a little bit for that, I guess. But my point is, when the season's over is when I exhale. Yea, you feel good. Dadgumit, we were in a rough patch. We needed a win, and we got a win. And I'm so dadgum proud of the guys, and I'm happy for them, and everybody in this organization. Yes, a win is a win is a win. It's tough to win, and I appreciate the win, and I enjoy the win, and all those things. The fans need a win, the media, everybody needs a win. So that is right. job well done. But, we've got another game coming up, and to me, I don't really like to exhale. Stay on track, and stay on course, and keep getting better.