Chip Kelly wouldn’t reveal Wednesday whether he favors Colin Kaepernick or Blaine Gabbert as the 49ers quarterback.

But Kelly, during his introductory press conference as coach, inserted Gabbert’s name a couple times when answering the handful of questions he received about Kaepernick.

“Obviously Kap is an extremely talented football player and you need a good quarterback to win,” Kelly said. “But I was also impressed from the film I watched in terms of how Blaine played this year. Both of those players made this an attractive situation.”

Kelly said he’s spoken and crossed paths with both quarterbacks, and that league rules prevent him from talking any football schematics until the offseason program begins April 4.

Kelly's quarterbacks tend to be productive, and although Kaepernick is a better fit for some of the read-option aspects of Kelly's offense, Gabbert had his moments towards the end of the year.

Blaine Gabbert will be the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback for at least one more game over Colin Kaepernick, the team said Monday afternoon.

The Niners, who improved to 3-6 with a 17-16 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Levi's Stadium on Sunday with Gabbert under center, are on their bye week and next play at the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 22.

Earlier in the day, in his weekly media conference, coach Jim Tomsula said he was not going to make the announcement until after staff meetings and meeting with the quarterbacks.

"Blaine did a nice job, did some really good things with his feet and his arm and his brain," Tomsula said at the time. "Really did a nice job, so congratulations to him."

Gabbert broke the Niners' nine-quarter TD-less streak with a pair of touchdown passes to tight end Garrett Celek in the second quarter. He threw for 185 yards on 15 of 25 passing with the two touchdowns and two interceptions, his fourth straight start with at least two INTs, for a passer rating of 76.2. Gabbert was not sacked, though, as as he gave the 32nd-ranked offense in the NFL a spark, while Kaepernick had been sacked 28 times in his past eight games. He's going to be a risky fantasy option going against the Seahawk defense on the road.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars draft bust Blaine Gabbert's career as a starting quarterback isn't over.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers are benching Colin Kaepernick for Gabbert, who was the Jaguars' No. 1 draft pick in 2011. Earlier on Monday, ESPN 49ers reporter Paul Gutierrez wrote that 49ers coach Jim Tomsula wasn't as definitive after Kaepernick's struggles in Sunday's loss to St. Louis. Schefter, citing a source, reported early Tuesday morning that the decision had been made.

Gabbert has played in just one game since the Jaguars traded him to San Francisco for a sixth-round pick in March 2014. The 49ers re-signed Gabbert to a two-year, $4 million contract after the 2014 season. Don't expect a big upgrade in the 49ers offense with Gabbert under center, but the hope is it at least lights a spark. Kaepernick was struggling with his confidence and is the subject of trade rumors.