San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo–once thought to be lost for the season due to a foot injury–may be back sooner than initially believed.
Garoppolo’s, foot injury, suffered in Sunday’s win over the Dolphins, is not a Lisfranc injury, according to a Tuesday report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The ninth-year pro will not require surgery and could potentially return in seven to eight weeks.
Garoppolo sustained the injury in San Francisco’s 33-17 victory over Miami on Sunday afternoon. He was relieved by Brock Purdy, the 262nd and final pick of April’s NFL draft; Purdy completed 25 of his 37 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns to lead the 49ers to victory.
The foot injury–speculated initially to be season-ending by many, including San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan–halted a steady season for Garoppolo. The veteran and 2019 NFC champion has thrown 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions, and his 103.0 passer rating ranks sixth in the league.
The 49ers, meanwhile, are off to an 8-4 start. They lead the NFC West by one game over the Seahawks, and would slot in as the No. 3 seed in the conference if the season ended today.
A potential seven- to eight-game absence would put Garoppolo’s return in the vicinity of the divisional round of the postseason, scheduled to be played Jan. 21 and 22. Garoppolo is 4-2 in six career playoff starts, despite having thrown four touchdowns and six interceptions in those games.
To provide additional depth behind Purdy with Garoppolo out, San Francisco signed veteran quarterback Josh Johnson on Tuesday.
