The San Francisco 49ers fear they may have lost quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a season-ending ACL injury during the team's Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, which would mean C.J. Beathard resumes starting duties midway through the year once more.
Well, 2018 hasn't exactly gone according to plan for the San Francisco 49ers.
Before the year even began, the Niners lost the No. 1 ground weapon, running back Jerick McKinnon, to an ACL tear. And in the waning minutes of San Francisco's 38-27 Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the fear is franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered the same fate.
Driving late in the fourth quarter, Garoppolo took a hit running along the sidelines by Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson. You can see the slow-motion play here, courtesy of Niners Wire's Rob Lowder:
The #49ers fear Jimmy Garoppolo tore his ACL on this play. MRI to confirm on Monday.pic.twitter.com/yYlrg9haTO
— Rob Lowder (@Rob_Lowder) September 23, 2018
Garoppolo was carted off the field after being evaluated in the blue injury tent. And while the results of the injury won't fully be known until Monday, the fear among those in the 49ers camp is it's a torn ACL.
Disastrous, to say the least.
At this time a year ago, Garoppolo wasn't even in the picture and the 49ers were struggling with then-starting quarterback Brian Hoyer. After Hoyer's 2017 struggles with San Francisco became too much for head coach Kyle Shanahan, the team elected to go with then-rookie C.J. Beathard under center.
The Niners are likely to follow the same path once again this season.
"I've got a lot of confidence in C.J.," Shanahan told reporters following the game. "He got a lot of playing time last year, led us to our first win last year. He came in today and made a hell of a throw on fourth down, no hesitation. C.J. is a gamer. Everyone in here has a ton of respect for C.J."
Beathard had just one pass attempt during the game -- a would-be touchdown to tight end George Kittle, although it was wiped out by a questionable offensive pass-interference call by fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
The 49ers settled for a field goal after being pushed back, and Beathard wouldn't see the field for the rest of the contest, as Kansas City ran out the clock.
For Beathard, it's a familiar spot to be in after having done so, albeit under different circumstances, a year ago.
"It's tough," Beathard said of Garoppolo's injury. "He's our starting quarterback and a great leader of this team."
Garoppolo's injury, if it's indeed an ACL, all but thwarts any shot San Francisco has to make the playoffs this season. The Niners defense, which couldn't contain an explosive Chiefs offense at all during the first half, isn't enough to carry this team into the postseason. And question marks about Beathard's rookie campaign efforts may also dampen Shanahan's offensive plans for the rest of the year.
Especially considering how Beathard's 69.2 passer rating last year ranked 31st out of 32 qualifying quarterbacks.
Still, the quarterbacking duties are going to likely fall on Beathard's shoulders for better or for worse the rest of this season.
"He told me to lead these guys," Beathard continued, describing his meeting with Garoppolo after the game.
On one hand, it's good Beathard was proverbially "thrown into the fire" with far less talent surrounding him last season. And despite the lowly numbers his rookie year, Beathard's experience under those circumstances surely won't hurt heading into the remainder of 2018.
While the Niners await the results of Garoppolo's Monday MRI, the likeliest of scenarios appears to be Beathard commanding the 49ers offense once again when he wasn't expected to do so at all.