Brandon Allen didn’t get nearly enough help from his more recognizable San Francisco 49ers teammates as the 32-year-old journeyman quarterback made his first start in nearly three years. Now, the defending NFC champions find themselves at 5-6 and last in the NFC West.

Brandon Allen is 2-8 in 10 career starts. One of them was against Josh Allen and the Bills but Brandon Allen wore No. 2 in that game with the Denver Broncos. He completed 10 of 25 passes for 82 yards with an interception and was sacked four times as Buffalo won 20-3 on Nov. 24, 2019.

Allen became a 49er on May 8, 2023, signing as a free agent. The 49ers, who up to that point seldom kept a third quarterback on the 53-man roster, kept Allen as a No. 3 all season behind Purdy and Sam Darnold after the previous year’s injuries to Trey Lance, Jimmy Garoppolo, and finally Purdy in the NFC Championship Game. Allen did not take a snap.