Jimmy Garoppolo spoke with reporters via Zoom shortly after head coach Kyle Shanahan officially announced that the quarterback would start on Sunday for the San Francisco 49ers' game against the Miami Dolphins. Garoppolo is returning from a high-ankle sprain that forced him to miss the last two games.
"The ankle's feeling really good right now," Garoppolo said. "I 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. As far as getting out there, we've had the whole week to work on it, so it's feeling pretty good right now."
Garoppolo fought to keep playing during the 49ers' Week 2 matchup against the New York Jets after pushing through the injury for much of the first half. It was the team's medical staff that talked him into sitting out the second half.
The quarterback feels that decision, in the long run, was the smart one.
"I've had normal ankle sprains," Garoppolo shared. "I've never had a high-ankle sprain, so this is a first. And I kind of just thought it was going to be like a normal ankle sprain. I thought I could come back and just trying to get myself mentally prepared each week. I was kind of talking to myself, telling myself, 'Hey, I could play this week. I'll be alright.'
"It took a little time, but I'm glad to be back out there with the guys. It feels great."
Garoppolo made significant progress during practices this week, allowing him to return to the field.
"He did a good job," head coach Kyle Shanahan said today. "Each day, he got better. He 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, and he'll be starting Sunday."