Once the San Francisco 49ers made the bold decision to bring back Jimmy Garoppolo after months of trying to find a trade suitor, someone from the quarterback room was still bound to be the odd man out.
That someone was Nate Sudfeld, who was released August 30 as part of the 49ers‘ pursuit to cap their 53-man roster.
However, on the morning of Wednesday, August 31, Sudfeld immediately found a new home. And it’s one where he gets to join an old rival of the 49ers.
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Sudfeld to the Motor City
First reported by the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Sudfeld is signing with the Detroit Lions.
Sudfeld goes from being projected to back up Trey Lance on the 49ers to backing up Jared Goff, once a longtime rival as member of the Los Angeles Rams. The Lions signed Goff to a four-year, $134 million deal in March 2021.
The Sudfeld signing also comes with a twist involving a reality TV star, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
Unfortunate end to a good “Hard Knocks” story: The #Lions are waiving QB David Blough, per source.
Sudfeld replaced David Blough, one of the focus subjects on HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Detroit Lions.” Viewers saw Blough, who has been with the Lions since 2019, in a battle to beat out another quarterback, Tim Boyle, for a roster spot as Goff’s backup.
In the Lions’ August 12 preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons, Blough fumbled the ball with 30 seconds left in the game to seal the Lions’ 27-23 loss.
“Blough’s late-game fumble really ate at him,” wrote Tim Twentyman of detroitlions.com.
The following week against the Indianapolis Colts, Blough engineered a second-quarter drive for a touchdown.
A touchdown to end the half!
#DETvsIND | 📺 Lions TV Network
Blough’s personality won over some fans of the show, including Fox 2 Detroit reporter Kellie Rowe.
“Hard Knocks has made me really like David Blough as a person. He’s encouraging, determined, supportive, and the GOLLYYYYY’s certainly add to it,” Rowe tweeted.
Hard Knocks has made me really like David Blough as a person. he’s encouraging, determined, supportive, and the GOLLYYYYY’s certainly add to it
Rowe, however, posted this response in learning Sudfeld is coming to help replace him:
Turns out, Lions head coach Dan Campbell received some clarity on who should backup Goff following Detroit’s final preseason loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers 19-9 on Sunday, August 28.
“I think it’s what anybody would think for the position, and is it somebody we know can come in and, if something happens, you know, that they can steer the ship and they can sustain and win some games?” Campbell said via ESPN reporter Eric Woodyard. “If you lose your starter for two or three games, can they win those games for you is what you’ve got to decide. So that’s what we’re wrestling with.”
Sudfeld’s Journey
The 28-year-old Sudfeld had his version of a Northern California homecoming.
When Sudfeld signed with the 49ers during the 2021 offseason, it lured the Modesto, California native back to the Golden State. The 6-foot-6 Sudfeld starred at Modesto Christian High School. The three-star prospect Sudfeld, who was the nation’s No. 23 overall Pro-Style quarterback by 247Sports, flipped from Arizona to Indiana.
While in Bloomington, Sudfeld produced 61 touchdown passes in his career — including producing two seasons that saw him surpass the 20-touchdown mark (21 and 27). Sudfeld wound up falling in the sixth round of the 2016 draft by being selected 187th overall.
He played only one season in D.C. He made his way over to Philadelphia where he joined the Eagles’ practice squad in September 2017. Sudfeld was also on the Eagles’ first-ever Super Bowl championship winning team of that 2017 season by backing up both Carson Wentz and Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles.
He signed a one-year deal with the 49ers on April 7, 2021. Sudfeld, though, never made one career NFL regular season start as a 49er or at any team he’s played for.
Sudfeld went 5-for-10 for 49 passing yards and one interception in his final game as a 49er against the Houston Texans on August 25. He shared snaps with Lance and Brock Purdy (who made the 53-man roster) in the 17-0 loss.
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Ex-49ers QB to New Team With $134 Million Former Rival: Report