49ers: 'Way outside chance' of Garoppolo return

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers manager Kyle Shanahan confirmed Wednesday that backmost Jimmy Garoppolo volition not request country connected his breached near ft and volition person a overmuch shorter rehabilitation than was feared aft Garoppolo suffered the wounded connected Sunday.

But Shanahan stopped abbreviated of suggesting Garoppolo's instrumentality is simply a definite happening adjacent if the Niners beforehand heavy into the postseason. Shanahan acknowledged that Garoppolo is connected a seven- oregon eight-week betterment timeline but noted that is however agelong it's expected to instrumentality Garoppolo to heal, not needfully to beryllium acceptable to play football.

"It volition beryllium a large betterment but overmuch little than what we anticipated, which is awesome quality for him successful the offseason," Shanahan said. "He'll beryllium bully to spell close away, truthful it won't beryllium similar past year. There's a mode extracurricular accidental precocious successful the playoffs oregon thing similar that, but it's conscionable an extracurricular chance. We're not existent optimistic astir that, but they didn't regularisation it out."

Shanahan said helium has not been told however agelong it would instrumentality for Garoppolo to instrumentality to shot activities but suggested it would instrumentality "a small spot more" than the 7 oregon 8 weeks assuming Garoppolo heals decently successful that time.

The NFC divisional circular is successful 7 weeks and the NFC Championship Game is 8 weeks away, which means the Super Bowl would beryllium the astir realistic possibility. That crippled is 10 weeks away.

In the meantime, the Niners are going to instrumentality their clip earlier making immoderate decisions connected what to bash with Garoppolo from a roster standpoint. They person already utilized six of their 8 injured reserve returns this twelvemonth and person the remaining 2 spots earmarked for antiaircraft tackle Javon Kinlaw and moving backmost Elijah Mitchell, though they don't person to state thing until those players are acceptable to statesman practicing again.

Which means Garoppolo won't onshore connected injured reserve, astatine slightest not close away. He tin stay connected the 53-man roster and beryllium a play inactive until the Niners mightiness request the roster spot for idiosyncratic else.

"We person got to play that by receptor with our full roster," Shanahan said. "Our extremity is to get to the playoffs, truthful we've got to marque definite we bash the champion happening imaginable for that. That's the contented with IR. Most likely, if that did happen, helium wouldn't beryllium capable to travel backmost for that, truthful we'll spot however these IR decisions play retired implicit the adjacent mates of weeks."

Shanahan added that Garoppolo did not endure immoderate ligament damage, which was captious successful giving him a shorter timeline to recover. If thing else, Garoppolo should beryllium steadfast for the offseason programme and participate escaped bureau with a cleanable measure of health, thing that did not hap past twelvemonth erstwhile helium had enarthrosis country and the Niners were incapable to commercialized him.

"I cognize it's a superior wounded that's astir apt to support him retired for the twelvemonth and I cognize it was truly bully quality that determination was nary ligament harm oregon anything," Shanahan said. "He'll beryllium good erstwhile the breached ft heals."

Shanahan besides confirmed that the Niners did not enactment successful a waiver assertion connected backmost Baker Mayfield, adding that helium "feels good" astir the Niners' backmost concern with rookie Brock Purdy and seasoned Josh Johnson arsenic the apical 2 connected the extent chart. The Los Angeles Rams claimed Mayfield connected waivers connected Tuesday.

This week's opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, brought up different 49ers backmost treatment of the caller past. Tom Brady, who grew up successful adjacent San Mateo, California, was a escaped cause aft the 2019 play and had involvement successful finishing his vocation with his puerility favourite team.

After that season, Shanahan and unit studied Brady and considered whether to prosecute him but opted to instrumentality with Garoppolo, who had conscionable been the starter connected a squad that fell conscionable abbreviated successful Super Bowl LIV.

Brady was coming disconnected 1 of his worst seasons but near the New England Patriots for Tampa Bay and went connected to triumph different Super Bowl. Brady is 5th successful the NFL successful passing yards with a 16-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio arsenic helium and the Bucs travel to Levi's Stadium connected Sunday.

Shanahan admitted Wednesday he's amazed to spot Brady inactive playing astatine a precocious level astatine 45 years old.

"I'd similar to accidental of people not but I deliberation everyone since past you're wondering, 'When is the fig [age] excessively high?'" Shanahan said. "But present erstwhile you ticker him that archetypal week successful Tampa, you're wondering, 'What the hellhole was anyone ever thinking?' The dude looks the nonstop aforesaid helium did that year, and helium does erstwhile helium comes disconnected injury. I deliberation he's playing arsenic bully present and throwing the shot arsenic good present arsenic I've seen anybody ever bash it."