One report on Tuesday increased optimism that Jimmy Garoppolo could make an unlikely return in the playoffs despite breaking his foot on Sunday. San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, however, downplayed that possibility a day later.
Shanahan said Wednesday that there is a “way outside chance” of Garoppolo returning at some point in the playoffs but made clear that the team is not optimistic about the possibility.
The 49ers might just be trying to manage expectations, but it does stand to reason that a Garoppolo return is a long shot. Even based on the more optimistic timetable, the 49ers might need to get to the NFC championship to even entertain the possibility.
For now, the 49ers are going to stick with rookie Brock Purdy going forward. If he plays well enough to get the 49ers that far into the playoffs, the team might not want to bench him anyway.
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