Could Jimmy Garoppolo be available for the NFC Championship? San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan says it's a possibility.
The sidelined quarterback has an "outside chance" of being ready for the conference championship if the team advances past the Dallas Cowboys, Shanahan said, per Adam Schefter. He added "there'd be a better chance" for him to be ready for the Super Bowl if San Francisco makes the big game.
Earlier in January, Shanahan had a similar report. When asked if Garoppolo could return late in the playoffs, Shanahan said "that's still the goal. He's not out there running and stuff like that, so it's still a little ways."
Garoppolo suffered a broken foot against the Miami Dolphins in December and was initially ruled out for the season. Days later, Shanahan said there was a "way outside chance" he could return for the playoffs. With original starter Trey Lance out for the year with a broken ankle that required surgery, the team put their faith in third-string quarterback Brock Purdy, and he hasn't let them down one bit.
Purdy was the last player picked in the 2022 NFL Draft, but Mr. Irrelevant soon became very relevant as he thrived as their starter and helped lead the Niners to the No. 2 seed. His first start came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and he went on to become the first quarterback to defeat Tom Brady in their first-ever start.
Since then, Purdy has won every game with the team, going an impressive 6-0 that included a 41-23 wild-card win over the Seattle Seahawks. Purdy has a 67.1 completion percentage with 1,374 yards, 13 interceptions, four interceptions and a 107.3 quarterback rating. Through 11 games, Garoppolo has a 67.2 completion percentage with 2,437 yards, 16 touchdowns, four interceptions and a 103.0 quarterback rating.
If Garoppolo is to return, the team must first advance. The 49ers are taking on the No. 5 Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET. If the 49ers defeat the Cowboys, they would face the winner of the game between the No. 1 Philadelphia Eagles
