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49ers HC Kyle Shanahan Doesn’t See ‘Any Scenario’ Where Jimmy Garoppolo Returns To San Francisco

Following an up-and-down past year for Jimmy Garoppolo and confusion about his future with San Francisco, the 49ers appear ready to move on. While speaking with the media on Wednesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan sat beside general manager John Lynch and took a question about the possibility of Garoppolo staying with the team next season.

Without skipping a beat, Shanahan answered simply “no, I don’t see any scenario with that.”

Jimmy Garoppolo done in San Francisco

Garoppolo is a free agent this offseason, but Shanahan’s comments seem to indicate that San Francisco will not be offering him a contract after 5.5 seasons with the team. The team seemed ready to move on from Garoppolo last season, entertaining trade offers for the experienced quarterback but not pulling the trigger on a deal.

Instead, they opted to keep him for another season as a backup to Trey Lance — a decision that worked out well for them as Lance suffered a broken ankle just two weeks into the year. Garoppolo took over the starting job again, but ultimately suffered a foot injury that paved the way for Brock Purdy to prove himself as a rookie.

Purdy, nicknamed Mr. Irrelevant after being selected with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, led the 49ers to eight wins in a row. Among his winning streak were two playoff wins and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game, where he suffered a torn UCL that left him virtually unable to throw in the team’s loss.

Now the 49ers are facing a 2023 season with Lance and Purdy, a third-overall draft pick and a proven backup for their system. The talented duo leaves San Francisco without need for Garoppolo and the veteran NFL money that he will likely be seeking this offseason, at least according to Shanahan’s quick response to the question.