49ers get encouraging injury update on Jimmy Garoppolo’s foot

Because the football gods have apparently cursed Kyle Shanahan, none of his San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks can ever stay healthy. After Trey Lance was lost for the season in just his second game of the year due to an ACL injury, Jimmy Garoppolo was thrown back into the starting role before his own health concerns.

With Garoppolo having been sidelined for the last month thanks to a foot ailment, rookie gunslinger and No. 262 overall pick Brock Purdy has stepped in and played about as well as Shanahan and the fanbase could have possibly expected. 

While Purdy has been dicing up defenses alongside one of the best collections of role players in the sport, Garoppolo has been trying to get back healthy in order to lead San Francisco to their second Super Bowl of the Shanahan era. Against all odds, Garoppolo might return before the season ends.

Shanahan said that Garoppolo is now able to put weight on his foot, meaning that he could come back if the 49ers make it to the NFC Championship Game or the Super Bowl. With Garoppolo a more experienced option than the green Purdy, the 49ers might just make an unprecedented switch.

Jimmy Garoppolo could return to 49ers in the Super Bowl

Garoppolo’s 16 touchdown passes against just four interceptions give him the best passer ratings and touchdown/interception ratio he’s had since he’s come to San Francisco. With free agency beckoning, Garoppolo picked a great time to have a career year.

While Garoppolo is 4-2 in the postseason, he has thrown for 172 yards or fewer in four of his six games and has more postseason interceptions than touchdowns. Purdy clearly has the hot hand, so the 49ers might be inclined to just roll with the punches and see where they land in a few days.

The 49ers could lock up the No. 2 seed in the conference if they beat the Cardinals, though they move to the No. 1 seed if Daniel Jones and the Giants can beat the Eagles. With the NFC looking as weak as it has been in years, that extra week of rest could help the 49ers get 100% ready to slice their postseason competition apart.

The 49ers may have the most unusual and interesting quarterback situation in the league, as Shanahan could be 100% justified in starting any one of three different quarterbacks next season. Going back to Garoppolo for the postseason, and 2023, might make the most logical sense, but Purdy has the hot hand.

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