Kyle Shanahan doesn’t regret bringing Jimmy Garoppolo back despite second ankle injury
Jimmy Garoppolo’s season may be over.
Garoppolo, who suffered a high ankle sprain in their 37-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, will head to the injured reserve list soon, coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday.
He is currently gathering various medical opinions on his ankle while trying to determine if he needs surgery.
“When you have those high ankle sprains, you reinjure them a lot,” Shanahan said, via ESPN. “But it was different the way he did it, so it’s basically doing it all over again in a different way … Whatever’s best for him, long term, is obviously what we’ll decide on. But if he does need the surgery, then it’ll be all year. If not, then hoping six weeks, get a chance to get back at the end.”
If Garoppolo needs just six weeks to recover, he could return for the 49ers’ final two games of the season against the Arizona Cardinals and Seahawks.
Did Jimmy Garoppolo come back too soon?
Garoppolo has thrown for 1,096 yards and seven touchdowns in six games this season, his seventh in the league. He went 11-of-16 for 84 yards and threw an interception on Sunday before leaving due to the injury. Garoppolo was replaced by backup Nick Mullens.
The 29-year-old’s injured ankle is the same one he hurt in Week 2 against the New York Jets. He missed two games after that injury.
While on the surface it looks like Garoppolo may have tried to come back too soon, Shanahan doesn’t think that’s the case.
"I don't regret bringing him back any of the times," Shanahan said, via ESPN. "Obviously, the way the Miami game went, if I could've seen that before the game, we could've avoided bringing him back, but I thought he gave us a real good chance to win and we didn't think he was risking injury by going further with it and he didn't. That's why he was able to come back the next two weeks even healthier. But he redid something in the Seattle game and it was bad ... it ended up being worse than we thought."
TE George Kittle also going to IR
The 49ers have also sent tight end George Kittle to the injured reserve list.
Kittle suffered a small fracture in his foot in Sunday’s loss.
The former Iowa standout has recorded 474 yards and two touchdowns on 37 receptions so far this season. He missed two games earlier this season with a sprained knee.
“I think they told me eight weeks [for Kittle],” Shanahan said, via ESPN. “Kittle says two, but that’s how he rolls. But that’s why he’ll go to IR. If it’s better than what they’re saying, then he’ll have a chance to come back this year. But eight weeks is eight weeks.”
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