SANTA CLARA — Jimmy Garoppolo underwent surgery Wednesday on his left knee, having torn the anterior cruciate ligament 10 days earlier in a devastating injury that ended the quarterback’s season and racked the 49ers franchise.
Coach Kyle Shanahan shared no further details on the procedure, such as where it was done, how it went, who performed it and what recovery timeline awaits, only noting it’s “way too early” to target a comeback date.
Garoppolo’s teammate, Jerick McKinnon, knows all too well the pain Garoppolo is enduring.
McKinnon tore the ACL in his right knee a week before the season opener, and he had reconstruction surgery last month in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who also rebuilt Tom Brady’s left knee a decade ago after an ACL tear.
“Jimmy’s a warrior, and I’m pretty sure he has the same mindset on the whole process and recovery process,” McKinnon said Wednesday on crutches with his knee in a brace. “The only thing we can do is work and push each other through these next nine months, and push each other to be that much better than before.”
McKinnon was in bed resting his surgically repaired leg when he saw Garoppolo’s knee buckle in a Sept. 23 loss at Kansas City. “When I saw the play he injured his, I automatically already knew what he was going through,” McKinnon said.
McKinnon texted words of encouragement to Garoppolo immediately after the QB’s injury, and the 49ers’ would-be stars of a 2018 playoff run now face extensive physical therapy sessions together for their 2019 comeback.
“For me and him, to just have somebody to go through that (recovery) experience with, and not be alone, and push each other along the way, it’s definitely going to help,” McKinnon said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
McKinnon said Garoppolo recently asked him what to expect after surgery. So how is McKinnon coping?
“It’s more about trying to get the muscles activated, strengthening it,” McKinnon said. “It’s still in the beginning phase, not so much weights, but range of motion. It’s just tight and stiff. Trying to get that range of motion back is a little difficult, but it’s a long process and you’ve got to have faith.”
Garoppolo hasn’t commented to the media since his injury.
HEALTH CENTER: Left tackle Joe Staley, right tackle Mike McGlinchey and center Weston Richburg did not practice because of knee injuries and instead conditioned together on a side field. Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (quadriceps, hamstring) and cornerback Richard Sherman (calf) also rehabbed together. All are at least questionable for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
Running back Matt Breida (shoulder) practiced in a non-contact jersey. McKinnon’s take on his replacement rusher: “So far his season has been spectacular. He’s making explosive runs, catching the ball well. Every time he touches the ball, everybody has that feeling he can go all the way.”
Guard Joshua Garnett practiced for the first time after dislocating a toe in the season opener. Probable starting safeties Jaquiski Tartt and Adrian Colbert also practiced in full, Tartt having missed the past two games.
RECEIVER REINFORCEMENTS: With Goodwin and Pettis not practicing, Kendrick Bourne is getting needed reps as he shifts to split end (“X”) from flanker (“Z”). Bourne produced his second touchdown catch of the season last game and earned praise from Shanahan for adapting to Goodwin’s role on the fly.
“Kendrick took such big step end of last year in terms of consistency,” Shanahan said of Bourne, who arrived undrafted last year. “He came from never having seen playbook, playing a lot of backyard ball, which is good so he can adjust naturally. But he had to learn that you can’t always play backyard ball.”
Another potential option at wide receiver is Victor Bolden Jr., who practiced for the first time this season after serving a four-game suspension for violating the performance-enhancing-drug policy. The 49ers have until 1 p.m. Saturday to activate him to face the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, otherwise his roster exemption expires on Monday.
VIEWS ON BEATHARD: Cardinals coach Steve Wilks had more to say about C.J. Beathard than his well-documented toughness. Wilks on a media conference call said: “He can move around in the pocket, he can buy time. He can get the ball down the field. He’s got great weapons around him. This guys is wired the right way. He’s been around football his entire life. It’s going to be a good test for us.”
Beathard shrugged off Sunday’s ESPN report claiming the NFL would like the 49ers to sign a more high-profile, veteran quarterback to draw interest for the 49ers upcoming prime-time games, the first of five being Oct. 15 at Green Bay.
“It’s how sports are. It’s all ebbs and flows,” Beathard said. “When things are good, you’re on top of the world, people praise you. When things are bad, they’ll bash you and you’ve just got to take both of those the same way and not even acknowledge anything on the outside.”
