SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Jimmy Garoppolo -- whom the 49ers had been saying "didn't need to play this season" for them to keep him in their plans -- finally got on the field Sunday.
And gave the 'Niners a glimpse of what they're hoping for.
Garoppolo made his 49ers debut with 1:07 remaining in their game against the Seahawks after starting quarterback C.J. Beathard went down with a left leg injury on a hit by Michael Bennett as he threw a pass. Garoppolo -- acquired from New England at the trade deadline last month and intended to stay on the shelf a little longer given the lost season -- immediately scrambled to gain four yards, then found Louis Murphy for a 10-yard touchdown as time expired in San Francisco's 24-13 loss.
"There's never an easy situation to go into," Garoppolo said. "Being the backup, I've experienced both ends of it. But you always have to be ready."
According to NBC Sports Bay Area, the fans at Levi's Stadium were excited to see Garoppolo enter the game . . . but the 49er players were upset because the cheers for Jimmy G. began when Beathard was still being treated on the field:
“People don’t understand what we through as football players and what our bodies go through," 49ers safety Eric Reid said. "And he’s laying down on the ground and people are cheering. That’s messed up.” . . .
“I was disappointed in them when they were cheering,” 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster said. “Our fans are better than that. It’s a fact that our starting quarterback is down. And he’s been making plays. He’s been taking his body into a lot of things that a quarterback shouldn’t be getting into.
New England Patriots
“I have to wait and make sure my brother on the ground is (OK) before I cheer for Jimmy. I’m going to cheer for my brother when he gets off the ground because he’s all right. And then I’m going to cheer for Jimmy.”