49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo says knee is “a little sore,” feels hit by Saints defender was dirty

Brock Purdy started warming up on the sideline after San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo took a hit to his surgically repaired left knee and was slow to get up. Garoppolo appeared to be in pain. The quarterback was asked if he ever thought he might need to exit the game.

“Nah, I was staying in the game,” Garoppolo told reporters after the 49ers’ 13-0 win over the New Orleans Saints. “I knew what type of game it was. That’s what it was all day. That wasn’t the only hit that was questionable like that. Throughout the whole game, it was like that, but that’s football.

“It was a gritty game. I’m proud of the guys today, how they fought through the adversity that was thrown at us. There was all kinds of adversity, and we just kept going. I think that was a good win for us.”

The 49ers head coach has already watched one of his quarterbacks—Trey Lance—go down with a season-ending injury. So what did he think of Garoppolo taking an unnecessary shot in the game?

“Jimmy, he took some hits today,” Shanahan said. “I don’t have anything exactly on him, but I know he’s sorer than usual, so we’ll check him up in here and see how he is tomorrow. But he had a very gutty performance. I know he got hit a bunch in this game, and I didn’t see the hit on that. I was looking down the field. But when I looked back, and he was on the ground, you could tell it was pretty physical just by his reaction.”

Garoppolo didn’t sound too pleased about the hit itself. The quarterback feels it might have been a bit dirty by Saints defensive lineman Malcolm Roach.

“You’ve got to be smart as players, look out for one another,” Garoppolo said. “There’s no place for that. I’m all right. A little sore but nothing bad.”

Did Garoppolo have any words for Roach after the play?

“He sprinted off the field,” the quarterback said. “He didn’t really say anything. I think he knew what it was. As players, we’ve got to be smart for one another.”

The 49ers won their fourth consecutive game, improving their record to 7-4 this season. The win, paired with a Seattle Seahawks loss, has given San Francisco a full one-game lead in the NFC West over their division rival.