49ers training camp: 5 early takeaways from 2020 practices
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: No knee brace for Jimmy Garoppolo
Perhaps it’s an overhyped development. But Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t wearing the knee brace he donned for all of 2019 after suffering a season-ending ACL tear back in 2018.
Fullback Kyle Juszczyk explained how this could be a great thing for San Francisco’s quarterback, who nearly tossed for 4,000 yards a season ago anyway:
"You see he’s not wearing a brace, so that’s the biggest thing that stands out to me. As an athlete, when you don’t have to think about something and it’s not in the back of your mind or weighing on you, it relieves so much stress and you’re able to play so much more freely. If he’s not thinking about that knee, it’s going to be a huge advantage from him."
This echoes something Hall of Famer Steve Young spoke to KNBR 680 about: Garoppolo’s first year back after suffering this kind of injury:
"You’re coming off a knee, and I just don’t feel like you really drive [the ball]. It’ll be a year of, you know, they always say the second year from a knee injury, they’re great at the ACLs now, but everyone I’ve ever heard from this year to 20 years ago, the first year you’re playing, but you’re not 100 percent, and then the second year you feel great."
Garoppolo still had his errant throws in 2019, marked by a noticeably high 2.7 percent interception rate and numerous other near misses. Yet one might be able to deduce Garoppolo’s accuracy and throwing strength could improve from last season.
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The lack of a brace is a key indicator of that potentially happening.