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Former Wisconsin Badgers QB loses NFL training camp roster spot to coach's son

The San Francisco 49ers released Tanner Mordecai after signing a quarterback who is the son of the team's assistant head coach.
Lorin Cox|
Jun 10, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Tanner Mordecai (14) participates in a passing drill during an OTA at Levi's Stadium.
Jun 10, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Tanner Mordecai (14) participates in a passing drill during an OTA at Levi's Stadium. | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

Tanner Mordecai's NFL dreams just took a big hit.

The former Wisconsin Badgers quarterback was in a battle for the No. 3 spot on the San Francisco 49ers depth chart, but that came to an end Monday when the team released him from their 90-man roster.

The release of Mordecai comes just days after the team worked out and signed quarterback Carter Bradley, who is the son of 49ers assistant head coach Gus Bradley.

Bradley has denied the influence of nepotismt on the signing, noting that he wasn't present for his son's workout with the team.

San Francisco also has rookie seventh-round pick Kurtis Rourke behind starter Brock Purdy and backup Mac Jones, so head coach Kyle Shanahan decided they didn't need to keep five quarterbacks.

He didn't rule out the possibility of Mordecai coming back, even if that's a return to the practice squad where he spent last season.

He offers upside as an athletic, dual threat quarterback, but his NFL future will depend on the consistency of his arm.

Learning under Shanahan is a great opportunity for a young quarterback, but the next stop in his pro career could be elsewhere as he looks to carve out a role for himself in the league.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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