GAROPPOLO SET FOR RETURN
Jimmy Garoppolo will return as starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers this week after missing the past two games with a sprained ankle.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Garoppolo will start Sunday at home against the Dolphins. Shanahan wanted to see how Garoppolo made it through a full week of practice before making his decision.
“Each day he got better,” Shanahan said Friday. “Never felt too sore the next day. So, we needed to hear that today and see him out there today and we feel good to go.”
Garoppolo had hoped not to miss any time with the injury, having played through ankle sprains before. But this was a more severe high ankle sprain which made it impossible for him to move well enough to avoid danger in the pocket.
He was able to show he was healthy in practice and will provide a needed spark for the 49ers (2-2), who lost 25-20 at home last week to Philadelphia.
“Ankle is feeling really good right now,” Garoppolo said. “Got the last couple of weeks off to get it right. The training staff, I tip my hat to those guys, they did a great job with me, just preparing me and everything. But, as far as getting out there, I mean, we’ve had the whole week to work on it. So, it’s feeling pretty good right now.”
San Francisco has a 20-6 record when Garoppolo starts, compared to a 5-21 mark with any other quarterback since Shanahan arrived in 2017.
Garoppolo threw for 3,978 yards and 27 TD passes last season to lead the Niners to 13 wins and was 33 for 49 for 390 yards, four TDs and no interceptions in six quarters this season.
Shanahan also said C.J. Beathard has moved ahead of Nick Mullens on the depth
chart and will be Garoppolo’s backup Sunday.
COVID-19 update
The Titans and Patriots had no positive tests for the novel coronavirus returned Friday morning, a step toward both teams being able to play in their rescheduled games early next week.
The results were confirmed by a person familiar with them. Neither team practiced Friday, but that would change over the weekend if there are no further positive tests. The Patriots are scheduled to practice today.
The Jets, meanwhile, sent home players and team staffers from their facility after a presumptive positive test result for a player Friday morning, according to two people familiar with the situation. That test was rerun and came back negative.
The Jets announced Friday evening that they had received negative test results “for all
players, coaches and personnel,” leaving their home game Sunday against the Cardinals unaffected.
Ramsey mum
Whatever happened before, during and after the postgame fight between Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Giants wide receiver Golden Tate, neither man is saying.
Ramsey declined to comment when he spoke to reporters Friday, his first media availability following the Rams’ 17-9 win on Sunday.
“We’re gonna talk about football, man,” Ramsey said during a video conference call. “Everybody has kind of answered it already and I keep telling y’all ‘no comment,’ so I’m not gonna get into nothing. We talk about football.”
Notable
Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith is having season-ending neck surgery, another blow to a Dallas offensive line that
will be without both starting tackles for the rest of the year.
Julio Jones was held out of practice for the third straight day with a hamstring injury but has not been ruled out for the Falcons’ game against the Panthers.
The Colts will face the NFL’s top-ranked rushing offense without one key starter, linebacker Darius Leonard. They could be without middle linebacker Anthony Walker, too. Coach Frank Reich ruled out Leonard and left tackle Anthony Castonzo for Sunday’s game at Cleveland, and acknowledged Walker’s status was still uncertain.
The Raiders are hopeful of getting starting right tackle Trent Brown and speedy rookie receiver Henry Ruggs III back in time for a showdown against the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
The Giants placed outside linebacker Oshane Ximines on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.