How many times has the phrase more than one quarterback means no quarterback been uttered in football circles? 

For the most part, it's true. 

Unless you are talking about the San Francisco 49ers. If you are talking about the Niners, having more than one quarterback, at least to Kyle Shanahan, is a pretty great place to be. 

"We've got three guys who can play, and there's only one spot, and we have a good team," Shanahan recently told NFL Network's Steve Wyche (h/t 49ers Webzone). "So I see it as a cool situation. And last year, we had some unknown."

Veterans plan to report to training camp Tuesday. That means Trey Lance and Sam Darnold will be splitting first-team reps while Brock Purdy navigates his return from an elbow injury. 

With multiple quarterbacks, the Niners are in a position of strength. A quarterback competition, whether it is with Darnold and Lance or if a healthy Purdy gets thrown into the mix, means that the best quarterback will win out. 

Last season, the front office simply gave the keys to Lance. So, when Shanahan speaks of uncertainty, that feels slightly disingenuous. The Niners were certain last year was supposed to be Lance's. Purdy threw a wrench in that plan. 

The Niners still like Lance. That is still evident. The organization elected not to move on from him during the NFL Draft, though that would have made the most sense at the time. Yet, the Niners still want to hang on to the reality that they still believe in Lance, despite what their actions show. 

"We believed in Trey, but he hadn't gone out and done it yet," Shanahan said. "But we believed in him. We got to see him for a year and a half and what he could do, and he lost that opportunity, which happens in football."

Adding Darnold to the quarterback mix was all the assurance that the Niners aren't sold on any quarterback yet. And the fluidity of the situation is a good thing. It means the best man will undoubtedly win the job in Week 1. 

"And we had another guy come in, very similar to Trey, but less reps and stuff," Shanahan said. "And Brock got that opportunity. So now we're in this situation, and it's just — I get how everyone wants something set in stone, but it's not set in stone. But I love the options, and I love the experience that Brock got.

"I love that Trey has gotten some, too. And I love the ability that we have in the room. And besides those three, I love our team around them, so let's let it play out."

Feature image via Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Spor.