Kyle Shanahan, who on Wednesday said the
49ers had the rare “luxury” of not having to play a first-round pick at quarterback, might no longer have that choice.
The 49ers’ head coach was forced to send Trey Lance into the fray to start the second half on Sunday’s 28-21 loss to the Seahawks after Jimmy Garoppolo couldn’t continue on a steadily deteriorating right calf. Afterward, a distraught Garoppolo said he’d get an MRI on Monday that would determine the severity of the injury and that he hoped it would keep him out only “a couple of weeks or something like that.”
“Been in this situation too many times,” Garoppolo said, his eyes welling as he spoke. “It’s getting real old.”
Garoppolo missed most of the 2018 season with a torn ACL and most of last season with a pair of high ankle sprains. He said the latest injury occurred on the 49ers’ opening drive, one that ended with a 21-yard touchdown throw to tight end Ross Dwelley. The 49ers, slow starters in each of their past two games, quickly were up 7-0, both the quarterback and the defensive line — the two most important positions on the team — were hot and Garoppolo at that point thought his calf injury was minor.
As the first half wore on, however, he wasn’t able to push off his right foot and his passes began to lose velocity.
