Jimmy Garoppolo has been forced to witness San Francisco's extraordinary run toward Super Bowl LVII in street clothes as he nursed a broken foot, but that might soon change should the 49ers defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
Based on scans he received last week, Garoppolo is healed enough to resume practicing this week and is getting to the point where he would be the backup to Brock Purdy in Super Bowl LVII, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning, per sources.
Rapoport adds that if Garoppolo was to play there would some obvious risk, but the scenario is conceivable.
It's been eight weeks since Garoppolo suffered a broken foot that flipped the script on San Francisco's season. Initially thought to be a season-ending injury, further testing showed surgery was not required, leaving the door open for a late-season return.
Purdy, meanwhile, hasn't lost a game since taking over as the starter in Week 13. The seventh-round rookie's poise in the pocket and accuracy throwing the ball has unlocked the potential of a Kyle Shanahan's offense that was inconsistent for the first half of the 2022 season.
In five regular-season starts, Purdy threw for 1,374 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. His play has only gotten better in the playoffs, totaling 546 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in two wins.
Of course, Garoppolo suiting up for Super Bowl LVII is predicated on Purdy continuing his unbeaten streak on Sunday in Philadelphia. Purdy would then become the first rookie quarterback to win a conference championship game (and advance to the Super Bowl) in league history, per NFL Research.
49ers-Eagles is set to kick off in Philadelphia at 3 p.m. ET.