49ers HC Kyle Shanahan gives Jimmy Garoppolo return update
There is still an outside chance that we could see Jimmy Garoppolo play for the San Francisco 49ers again this season.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said there is an “outside chance” that Garoppolo could be ready for the NFC Championship game, but that there would be a “better chance” he would be available or the Super Bowl if the team is able to advance that far.
The 49ers play the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Divisional Round on Sunday.
Garoppolo has been sidelined with a foot injury since early December. It was initially believed it would be a season-ending injury, but there remains a chance he could return.
The elephant in the room, of course, is that even if Garoppolo is able to return for the NFC Championship game or Super Bowl he might not be anything more than a backup due to the way rookie Brock Purdy has played.
The 49ers are undefeated since Purdy, a seventh-round draft pick rookie that entered the year as the team’s third-string quarterback, took over.
He goes into Sunday’s game against Dallas having thrown 16 touchdowns to only four interceptions this season, including last week’s playoff win over the Seattle Seahawks.
His play, combined with the overall talent level on the 49ers roster, has made them look almost unbeatable over the past two months.
If the 49ers win on Sunday, and go on to win an NFC Championship game with him as the starter there is virtually no chance the 49ers would go back to Garoppolo in the Super Bowl after sitting on the sidelines for two months.
Garoppolo will be an unrestricted free agent in March.
Given the way Purdy has played, as well as the presence of last year’s first-round pick (Trey Lance) there is almost no chance the 49ers re-sign him.
