"It's just unfortunate," Rice said on the "Joe, Lo, and Dibs" show. "This guy is a great player. The Niners are going to have to rally up now. It's another one of those freak injuries because it was no impact. He was just making a cut. That was the same thing with Jerick McKinnon. He was just making a cut (in practice), and it gave way."
There has been some debate whether or not Garoppolo should have simply run out of bounds rather than risk his health for an extra yard or two. Of course, it's easy to say that after the fact.
"Jimmy G had made that cut many, many times," Rice responded. "He had done that over and over during practice. He was being a football player. Even if he had went out of bounds, it might have gave way. I don't know.
"When you are in the heat of battle, you're doing everything you can possibly do to help your team to win. It looked like he was just trying to plant and the knee gave way, and he was on the ground, and they had to cart him off."
Rice goes on to explain that you have to look at what was happening in the game to understand Garoppolo's decision.
"The Niners had fought their way back," he continued. "They had battled because I think it was 35-7 and they had fought their way back. It was just one of those plays. It was the heat of the moment. He didn't get hit until after he made that cut so who knows?
"But as a competitor, you just try to do whatever you can do to inspire your team and put them in a position where they can win."
You can listen to the entire interview with Rice below.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers concerned about Ricky Pearsall injury, but young receivers could benefit
The San Francisco 49ers are facing another setback at wide receiver, as Ricky Pearsall continues to deal with lingering effects from the PCL injury that limited him last season. Pearsall is experiencing swelling in his knee and is expected to miss time. Multiple reports... -
49ers training camp: 3 key factors that could reshape the depth chart
Recently, 49ers Webzone journalist Marc Adams wrote an article outlining which San Francisco 49ers rookies have the best chance of contributing early. He does a good job identifying opportunities different rookies will have, but I want to take a deeper dive into what will... -
49ers training camp: Undrafted rookie Bryson Eason could earn a roster spot
Shortly after the 2026 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers signed several undrafted free agents, including Tennessee defensive tackle Bryson Eason. As the 49ers prepare to open training camp, 49ers Webzone's Marc Adams identified Eason as one of the team's top sleeper... -
Could 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall emerge as a fantasy football sleeper in 2026?
How much will San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall contribute during the 2026 NFL season? For the former first-round draft pick, staying healthy will be the key as he enters his third year in the league. Pearsall has missed 14 games through his first two NFL...