49ers’ Shanahan: Jimmy Garoppolo Has ‘Outside Chance’ to Return Next Week

Jimmy Garoppolo has been out since early December, when he suffered a foot injury in a game vs. Miami. Initially, it appeared as if the quarterback would be out for the season. However, coach Kyle Shanahan remained vague with Garoppolo’s timetable, hoping he could return at some point.

On Saturday, that time table became more clear. Shanahan said Garoppolo has an “outside chance” to play next week if the Niners win on Sunday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and “there’d be a better chance” for him to play in the Super Bowl.

After the season, Shanahan said “the goal” was for Garoppolo to be able to play by the end of the playoffs.

However, even if Garoppolo is healthy, there is no guarantee he will play. Brock Purdy will start his seventh straight game for the 49ers on Sunday, and if he wins, he will remain undefeated as the San Francisco quarterback. 

If San Francisco does decide to stick with Purdy, Garoppolo would most likely serve as the team’s backup if he is healthy. The 49ers current backup is Josh Johnson, who signed in December when the team needed to fill out the depth chart following Garoppolo’s injury.