Jacoby Brissett to start at QB for Commanders, replacing struggling Sam Howell

Jacoby Brissett will start at quarterback for the Washington Commanders on Sunday when they host the NFC-leading San Francisco 49ers.

Coach Ron Rivera announced Wednesday before practice that Brissett would start over Sam Howell, who was pulled from Washington's 30-28 loss at the New York Jets. Howell started the first 15 games of the season and leads the league with 17 interceptions.

"It's a good opportunity for Sam to take a break," Rivera said. "Jacoby's proven that he's a very, very viable player in this league."

The switch to Brissett abandons a nearly yearlong plan to see whether Howell, a 2022 fifth-round pick out of North Carolina, could be the franchise's QB of the future. Howell getting pulled from the past two games cast further doubt on that possibility, though that could change if Washington changes its leadership regime.

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Washington has lost six in a row to fall to 4-11. The 49ers are 13 1/2-point favorites on FanDuel Sportsbook coming off their home loss to the Ravens.

Brissett, a 31-year-old journeyman who signed a $10 million contract for this season to back up and mentor Howell, was 18-for-23 for 224 yards and three touchdowns in relief over the past two games. This will be his 49th NFL start and first since Nov. 27, 2022, with the Browns.

Brissett is on track to be the 13th different QB to start for Washington since the start of the 2018 season. He follows Howell, Taylor Heinicke, Carson Wentz, Alex Smith, Dwayne Haskins, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kyle Allen, Garrett Gilbert, Case Keenum, Colt McCoy, Josh Johnson and Mark Sanchez.

Reporting by The Associated Press.