Jimmy Garoppolo's exit Sunday was with a familiar ankle injury, but not an aggravation of his first ailment.
Garoppolo left San Francisco's loss to Seattle with a new high-ankle sprain, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday. With a typical timeline of four to six weeks to recover and return, Garoppolo could also be facing surgery, which would end his 2020 season.
NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that while Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said surgery is a possibility for Garoppolo, that is not currently the plan following multiple medial opinions.
Garoppolo suffered his first ankle injury in a win over the New York Jets, missing the 49ers' next two games before returning in Week 5 against Miami. In that contest, Garoppolo looked noticeably hindered by the ankle issue, throwing two interceptions before he was removed from the game in favor of backup C.J. Beathard. The next week, Garoppolo returned to form, completing 23 of 33 attempts for 268 yards and three touchdowns in a prime-time win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Garoppolo's latest injury required the summoning of another backup, Nick Mullens, who shined in place of the starter while trying to lift the 49ers out of a deep deficit. Mullens has excited the San Francisco faithful in place of Garoppolo in the past, and appears set to get at least a month's worth of opportunities. We'll see if Mullens can keep San Francisco competitive enough to keep hope alive for Garoppolo's return in 2020.
