Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to be sidelined six-to-eight months after doctors found only a torn ACL when they operated on the knee of the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, ESPN reported on Sunday.
The timeline would put Garoppolo on track to be ready for training camp. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan even expressed hope that Garoppolo could potentially beat that timeline.
“I’m hoping that he’ll be able to get into OTAs and do some non-contact stuff with throwing the ball and everything,” Shanahan told reporters. “It’s always a little bit better when you’re dealing with a quarterback and stuff as opposed to other positions, because you can get them in hopefully in seven-on-seven drills a little bit early and things like that, which helps those guys get involved a lot faster.”
C.J. Beathard has stepped in as the starter in place of Garoppolo, who signed a five-year, $137.5 million contract with the team in March.
Garoppolo was injured in the fourth quarter of a 38-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 23. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Garoppolo was scrambling from the pocket and headed toward the left sideline before clutching at his left knee as he fell to the ground.
The 26-year-old Garoppolo was 20 of 30 for 251 yards with two touchdowns on Sunday, and he passed for 718 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions this season.
Beathard completed 23 of 37 passes for 298 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in last Sunday’s 29-27 setback to the Los Angeles Chargers.