The San Francisco 49ers finished the season strong and were at their best against the Dallas Cowboys. Now, they’ll face an even tougher task when they visit Aaron Rodger’s Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
As per usual, the lone shaky spot in Kyle Shanahan’s team was Jimmy Garoppolo. The former Patriots QB threw a potential game-changing pick late in the Wild Card clash and people still wonder whether he’s a franchise quarterback or not.
Even so, the 49ers would be glad to roll with him for this game ahead of rookie Trey Lance. Unfortunately for them, they could be forced to sit Jimmy G as he’s reportedly struggling badly with injuries, per Jason McIntyre of FS1.
NFL Rumors: Jimmy Garoppolo Could Miss The Divisional Round With A Shoulder Injury
“Texted someone in SF about 90 minutes ago asking about Jimmy G. LOTS of rumors the hand & shoulder are not good. Like “may not start” good. And the line has surged marketwide to GB -6. Somebody has even more intel,” McIntyre reported.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan admitted that Garoppolo was dealing with some ailments throughout the game against the Cowboys. However, he didn’t offer any details and downplayed the whole situation:
“He [Garoppolo] had to play through some pain and stuff, but he ended up checking out all right. Just a slight shoulder sprain and he should be good for [Tuesday’s] practice,” Shanahan said after the game.
Garoppolo Says He’s Fueled By Criticism
Jimmy G has been in the spotlight since preseason and most insiders think he’ll be out of the team after this campaign. Nonetheless, he’s doing his best to shut down the outside noise and prove the doubters wrong:
“I think a big part of it is just knowing who you are—as a player and a person, really,”Garoppolo told Peter King of NBC Sports. “That will take you a long way. It’s kind of a big part of just my mental game. I know what type of quarterback I am. I know what type of player I am in this league and where I stand. All the noise out there and everything, keep it coming. It fuels me and it keeps me going. It’s a good thing when people are talking about you.”
Whether the Niners will trade Garoppolo in the offseason or not remains to be seen. Then again, it’s clear that they believe Trey Lance is the future of the franchise, so it’s only a matter of time before they move on from him.