Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Josh Dobbs has found his new home. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Dobbs is signing a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
Drafted in 2017, this will be Dobbs’ eighth NFL team. And he still hasn’t turned 30.
Now that Sam Darnold has signed with the Minnesota Vikings, Dobbs could slide in as Brock Purdy’s top backup. According to a tweet from Mike Garafolo, Josh Dobbs’ deal with the #49ers includes $2.25 million in fully guaranteed money at signing, a source says. He has $750k in incentives.
Drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the ’17 draft, he appeared in six games with Pittsburgh, though never as a starter. He attempted just 17 passes, throwing zero touchdowns and an interception, a preseason darling who rarely got regular-season opportunities. The Steelers traded him in 2019 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, one week before Ben Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending elbow injury. Pittsburgh signed Dobbs back in 2020, appearing in one game that season.
After garnering his first career start in 2022 with the Tennessee Titans days after being acquired by the team, Dobbs spent the 2023 training camp with the Cleveland Browns, where he had been for parts of the 2022 season. But the Browns traded him to the Arizona Cardinals one week before the regular season, becoming the team’s immediate starter. He threw eight touchdowns and five interceptions across eight starts, but the Cardinals went 1-7 over that span.
He was then dealt to the Minnesota Vikings following Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles tear. He started four games and led an improbable comeback off the bench to beat the Atlanta Falcons in his first game. But his play declined from there, and he was benched before the end of the season.
For his career, Dobbs has appeared in 21 games, starting 14, throwing 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He’s also rushed for 496 yards and six scores, all of the latter coming in 2023.
Dobbs will compete with career-backup Brandon Allen this year for the 49ers’ backup job. It’s also plausible the 49ers look towards the draft for additional depth behind Purdy.
