The San Francisco 49ers have officially released quarterback Adrian Martinez and named Kurtis Rourke as the third quarterback on the 53-man roster. This change comes after Martinez's preseason performance, where he recorded 346 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions over three games.
At 26 years old, Martinez was the backup quarterback last season and had signed a futures contract in January. However, he faced strong competition from Rourke, a seventh-round draft pick in 2025, who excelled in the preseason by completing 12 of 14 passes for 101 yards during his debut as a starter.
Rourke, who did not play in his rookie season due to a torn ACL, will now take on the No. 3 quarterback role and act as the emergency quarterback on game days. The 49ers have been interested in Rourke since drafting him, and his impressive preseason performance positions him as a possible backup when the current starter, Mac Jones, becomes a free agent next offseason.
Although Martinez has been released, there is a chance he might return to the 49ers practice squad if he does not secure another opportunity following the roster cutdown period.