It’s a question that has been asked of 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan repeatedly since the beginning of the season: Will Jimmy Garoppolo be the team’s quarterback next year?
“Yes, I do believe Jimmy’s going to be our quarterback next year,” Shanahan said earlier this week, stopping shy of guaranteeing Garoppolo would be the starter.
That didn’t quite sit well with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Takeo Spikes.
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“As a player, how do you feel?” Spikes said with concern on the latest "Behind the Mask."
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Spikes compares it to a “big punch in the gut.”
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Still, Spikes knows there must be a plan in motion if Jimmy G doesn’t return to the 49ers.
Monetarily speaking, they’ll have around an additional $26 million in cap space available if they don't bring Garoppolo back. And while Spikes points out that sounds like a lot, compared to the other quarterbacks’ 2021 salaries across the league, that doesn’t even crack the top 10.
Spikes overall has Jimmy G’s back, noting that the 49ers have gone 24-9 with him as the starter and that general manager John Lynch recently said in an interview with KNBR that “Jimmy is our quarterback.”
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Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks will be the 23rd Garoppolo has missed since 2018 due to injury. He hasn't played since sustaining a high ankle sprain in the Week 7 loss to the Seahawks.
Despite it all, signs so far look good for Jimmy G’s future. You can listen to the entire commentary from Spikes atop this page.