Jimmy Garoppolo was benched for the second time this season on Sunday, this after struggling mightily against the Seattle Seahawks.
Garoppolo helped the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance last season, but at least one former Niner believes his days in the Bay Area are numbered.
“He’s not going to be there [next year],” former All-Pro and Super Bowl champion Eric Davis told Tiki & Tierney. “I learned how [Kyle] Shanahan feels about it this last game.”
Shanahan pulled Garoppolo in the fourth quarter against Seattle, with San Francisco trailing 30-7. Garoppolo finished 11-of-16 for 84 yards, one interception and three sacks in the 37-27 loss.
“I’ve been racking my brain to figure this one out,” Davis said. “I don’t know [of a] franchise quarterback that’s ever been benched for play – not injury, that’s been benched for play – and came back to be [the] guy. And don’t get it twisted. Jimmy Garoppolo got benched for play in Miami [in Week 5]; he got benched for play this last week. He’s been benched twice now for his play. I don’t know the franchise quarterback that has come back from that. That’s why I know he’s gone.”
The Niners benched Garoppolo in Week 5 when he went 7-of-17 for 77 yards, two interceptions and three sacks in a 43-17 loss to the Dolphins.
“He was fine [health-wise],” Davis said. “When he went down, I said, ‘There’s nothing wrong with him. It was his play.’ He started the very next week, they won – no one was talking about the ankle. He played poorly, now it’s the ankle again. There’s nothing wrong with the ankle. He’s not playing well. He’s not performing.”
The Niners, it is worth noting, announced Tuesday that Garoppolo is expected to miss six weeks with a high ankle sprain.
San Francisco (4-4) hosts Green Bay (5-2) on Thursday night. Kickoff is slated for 8:20 p.m. ET.