PHILADELPHIA — After both of the 49ers’ quarterbacks left the game with injuries in the club’s 31-7 NFC title loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Jimmy Garoppolo stood helplessly on the sidelines hoping for time for his return. Table can come early.
“I wish I had a helmet,” Garoppolo told NBC Sports Bay Area before leaving the locker room at Lincoln Financial Field.
The veteran quarterback then gloomily walked up to Dr John York and his wife Denise, giving each of them a hug and thanking them for all they had done for him. As Garoppolo walked away, he told team owners, “It’s going to be alright.”
Garoppolo was very close to returning to practice a week before the NFC championship game, but not progressing enough to join the team. Even if the 31-year-old has a week to train, the possibility of him playing on matchdays is questionable, given the limit of active players on matchdays is limited to 43.
The league changed the third quarterback rule in 2010, allowing teams to have an additional quarterback on top of the starters and backups. If the third quarterback plays for the first three quarters, the other two will be banned.
The official term for the old third quarterback rule:
“Teams will be permitted to use an active roster of 45 players and an inactive roster of eight players for each regular season and playoff game. Provided that, if a club has 45 players on its active roster Two quarterbacks, Lister, the third quarterback of his inactive players, may wear the uniform, but if he plays for the first three quarters, the other two quarterbacks will be banned.”
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The 49ers could have used a healthy Garoppolo on the floor on Sunday, but unfortunately, he was unavailable.
The future of the player who led the team to two NFC titles and appeared in Super Bowl LIV is uncertain. As Garoppolo’s journey demonstrates, his return to the organization should never be ruled out.
