Turlock native Colin Kaepernick had a momentous coming out performance against the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.

In what was dubbed as the backup bowl, San Francisco’s second year quarterback seized his primetime opportunity and led a total dismantling of the NFL’s second ranked defense, throwing for 243 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 12 yards. Kaepernick’s quarterback rating of 97.5 was the highest of any starting debut from a quarterback in the last five seasons.

Kaepernick’s surprising performance in his first NFL start sparked an instant reaction from the nation as pundits and commentators praised his poise, 49er fans fanned the flames of a quarterback controversy, and fantasy footballers assessed his value at a high level.

Monday night’s performance also elicited a strong reaction from local followers who flocked to social media to trumpet their excitement. Childhood friends recalled past pickup games with Kap, former teammates and coaches posted pictures of his Pop Warner days as a Viking, and high school friends spoke of how surreal it was to watch a former classmate on TV.

Among all the different posts of articles, tweets, blogs, pictures, and video there was a common thread —Monday might have been the unveiling of San Francisco’s future starting quarterback.

For more on Monday night's game, see the Nov. 21 issue of the Turlock Journal.