NFL Insider Confirms The 49ers’ QB Plans Moving Forward

When San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a foot injury in Week 13 versus the Miami Dolphins, it looked like their hopes of winning the Super Bowl had ended.

But third-string QB Brock Purdy, the rookie who had been the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, filled in and has looked like a dream ever since.

The 49ers have now won 11 consecutive games, which includes their 41-23 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Saturday’s Wild Card playoff contest, and they’re looking unstoppable.

It has created the interesting question of what head coach Kyle Shanahan would do if Garoppolo were ready to return at some point in the playoffs – would he reinsert the familiar veteran, or would he stick with the hot hand of Purdy?

FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer says that Purdy will remain under center even when Garoppolo becomes fully healthy again.

Jimmy Garoppolo is eager to get back but Brock Purdy will remain as the starter. The 49ers flew out the Seahawks groundskeeper, Sean Vanos, to help with the wet field conditions in Santa Clara. @JayGlazer has the latest ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/OJ2F5iRx77

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 14, 2023

“So Jimmy Garoppolo [is] really attacking his rehab aggressively, wants to get cleared in time to actually return later on this postseason. … If he returns, it is to be a backup – to backup Brock Purdy, not to be the starter again. This is Brock Purdy’s team moving forward.”

There is no star like today’s star, and as the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Purdy has shown three skill sets that Garoppolo never has – the ability to read and react to defenses quickly, the ability to escape pressure while throwing accurate passes on the move, and the ability to connect with receivers on intermediate to long-range passes.

Those three skill sets could translate to plays that single-handedly win playoff games.

At this point, one would think Garoppolo’s days with the 49ers are truly over.

He helped shorten what could’ve been a very long rebuilding process when he arrived via a trade with the New England Patriots in 2017, but he will be too expensive to retain as a free agent this spring.

In addition, there is still the matter of Trey Lance, whom the Niners gave up lots of draft capital to obtain, and if they were to trade him, his value on the open market would likely be low.