The 49ers placed Jimmy Garoppolo on injured reserve this week. The quarterback’s high-ankle sprain will not require surgery, coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday, leaving open the possibility that Garoppolo can return this season.
“Good news from the doctors that none of them are recommending surgery right now,” Shanahan said, via Jennifer Lee Chan of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “So we are not going do anything for this four to six weeks. Rest it, and then we will re-evaluate and hopefully, it heals up the way the doctors are anticipating and he will be good to go then, and not need surgery.”
Garoppolo originally injured his ankle Week 2 against the Jets. He missed two games and returned for four before re-injuring the ankle.
Shanahan described it as a second, more severe sprain on the same ankle.
So maybe Garoppolo has taken his final snap in San Francisco, but maybe not. If Garoppolo becomes healthy enough, his return could hinge on whether the 49ers still are in the race for a playoff berth.
But as long as Garoppolo remains out, Nick Mullens will start with C.J. Beathard as his backup.
“It’s firmly Nick,” Shanahan said. “As I’ve always kind of said, I feel good with both Nick and C.J. They are always pretty neck and neck for me, but I’m not going to just bounce them back and forth.
“Something would have to happen to make a change, and Nick wasn’t the reason that happened last night, and that’s why he will get the first opportunity versus New Orleans [in Week 10].”