Kyle Shanahan says QB Jimmy Garoppolo has ‘outside chance’ to return next week

The 49ers have one of the cleanest bills of health heading into the NFC divisional round against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. Only two players are out for this weekend’s game: Cornerback Ambry Thomas and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

And the latter could be back soon.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Friday that Garoppolo took part in his first week of conditioning at practice since fracturing his foot. Jimmy G suffered the lower leg injury Week 13 against the Miami Dolphins and has been off the field ever seen. Despite the progress, Garoppolo has been ruled out for this weekend against the Cowboys, and could even miss the NFC Championship game.

“I’d be surprised,” Shanahan said about Garoppolo’s chances of returning next week. “I think it’s an outside chance.”

Garoppolo recently had his cast removed from his injured right left foot, and is now walking in a boot as the ailment heals. Still seen as the backup to rookie Brock Purdy if he returns this season, Jimmy G’s progress is a positive step for all parties alike.

“He got to do some work out there so we saw him do his rehab stuff too as we came out [to practice], Shanahan added. “[He looked] good.”

Kyle Shanahan gives an update on Jimmy G pic.twitter.com/AQs8dY5Cq0

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) January 20, 2023

Garoppolo is more likely to be available if the 49ers advance to the Super Bowl on February 12th.

Meanwhile, rookie QB Brock Purdy has been a sparkplug in Jimmy G’s absence, staying undefeated in the NFL at 7-0. The last pick in the 2022 draft, Purdy isn’t seen as a rookie anymore by Cowboys’ head coach Mike McCarthy, giving him praise in this week’s pressers.

But while the rest of the NFL is just starting to see Purdy in that light, Shanahan realized his pupil had blossomed into a starting quarterback during the Dolphins game.

I felt that [way] during the Miami game. That was a game with a lot of stakes, we were playing a real good team. He came in real early in the game and we were under a lot of duress. The way that their defense was playing, the way they were coming after us and he didn’t play at all like a rookie in that game. I remember getting home that night…and as I was going to bed it kind of hit me that ‘he definitely didn’t play like a third-stringer today and we’ll see how it goes this week’,” Kyle Shanahan stated.

The 49ers will need Purdy to keep playing at his best if they want to advance to another NFC Championship game this season.

Click here to watch Kyle Shanahan’s full Friday presser

49ers Game Status Report:

OUT:

QB Jimmy Garoppolo (foot)

CB Ambry Thomas (foot)

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