NFL preseason injuries are the worst. Just ask my fantasy team.
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In what was supposed to be a simple pass play to fullback Josh Hokit early in the 49ers' 30-14 blowout win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo took the play into his own hands, lowered his head, collided with a Raiders defender and found his way into the end zone to give the 49ers a first-quarter lead.
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"I thought I was going to get in a little easier than that,” Garoppolo said to reporters after the win. "The hole kind of closed quickly. But you got to do what you got to do to get in."
Garoppolo's words show the kind of competitor he is, but don't erase the scary scene. The 29-year-old QB played just three games in 2018 after tearing his ACL fighting for extra yards on a run. The 49ers went 4-12 that season. Last year, he played in only six games -- only finishing four -- while dealing with two different ankle injuries. San Francisco went 6-10.
Yeah, a healthy quarterback is pretty important.
San Francisco 49ers
“If I would have gotten hurt, that would have been a terrible idea,” Garoppolo said. “But knock on wood, thankfully, good things came out of it. I don’t know. When you’re out there you really can’t think of things like that.
"I know you’re supposed to. Things happen in a split second. I tried to submarine below the two of them. It didn’t work out so well. I’m all healthy everything and feels good.”
Luckily, with Trey Lance in the building, the 49ers are in much better shape than in the past if Garoppolo does miss time. Even if Garoppolo starts Week 1 against the Detroit Lions, the rookie figures to be part of the equation after rotating in mid-drive in the preseason finale.
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The question now, how does Garoppolo's head coach feel about his dangerous TD? Well, it's more mixed feelings than anything else.
"Jimmy has kind of got a linebacker mentality," Shanahan said. "I’m all for him going to Hokit in the flat, too. But I kind of like that about Jimmy, too. I never want to risk himself and get hurt, but that’s why guys fight for him."
Garoppolo will keep fighting, too. He's out to prove himself, no matter the opponent, and apparently, no matter if the game even counts.