San Francisco 49Ers

No secret has been made of the Niners' plans to trade Garoppolo since their 2021 season came to an end with defeat to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game.

San Francisco selected quarterback Trey Lance with the third overall pick in last year's draft, having traded the 12th overall pick and their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 to move up to that spot.

Lance is set to take over as the starting quarterback in 2022, but Lynch did not rule out Garoppolo still being on the depth chart, having received no trade offers for the former New England Patriot.

"I don't foresee that," Lynch said when asked about releasing Garoppolo at the NFL owners' meetings on Monday.

"He's too good of a player. I don't foresee that, and I think Jimmy will be playing for us or he'll be playing for somebody else. He's too good of a player not to be."

Garoppolo remains on the Niners' roster as host of potential suitors have filled their quarterback need via other means. The Denver Broncos pulled off a spectacular trade for Russell Wilson, the Indianapolis Colts shipped Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders and then dealt for Matt Ryan, while the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Mitchell Trubisky.

There had previously been talk of the Niners having an offer of two second-round picks in hand for Garoppolo, but Lynch dismissed such speculation.

"Not true. No," Lynch said. "Nobody ever said, 'OK, here’s our offer'. We never got to that point."

While Garoppolo's future with San Francisco remains in question, Lynch assured that All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel and Pro Bowl edge rusher Nick Bosa will be on the roster for a long time as the Niners negotiate likely lucrative contract extensions with the pair.

"We've had good communication with Tory [Dandy] who represents Deebo and Bryan Ayrault who represents Nick,” Lynch said. "We have a plan for each of those guys. We will keep those discussions private but like I've long said, those guys are going to be a part of us for a long, long time. 

"They're fantastic players. They are very much at the core of who we are and they are fabulous players, fabulous people and a big part of who we are.” 

Samuel last month requested a trade from the Niners, having reportedly refused to engage in contract negotiations with San Francisco. The 2022 season will mark the final year of his rookie deal.

A trade did not materialise during last week's NFL Draft, despite reported offers from the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, and Lynch is adamant the two parties can overcome their issues as the Niners seek to sign Samuel to a long-term deal.

Lynch told KNBR: "We're trying really hard with Deebo to work through whatever the issues might be.

"I always have really believed that there is a sacredness to those conversations and that they remain private, especially with things like this.

"I think it's in everyone's best interest we don't get into that. I don't think [the obstacles] are insurmountable. I think we can find a way to resolution, and we're hopeful for that because we know what he's been to this organisation.

"Thirty-sixth pick in 2019, and he's been so good on and off the field. Obviously, a tremendous player. He makes us better. I think we make him better. And we're hopeful that we get everything right and that we're rolling forward."

Asked if Samuel will be on the roster for the 2022 season, Lynch replied: "It's a yes for me, and that's our job. He's too good of a player.

"We've got too good of a thing going, and we want to keep that going. That's where I'll leave that."

Samuel's request was reported to be tied to dissatisfaction with his role in the 49ers' offense.

In addition to making 77 catches for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns – averaging a league-leading 18.2 yards per reception – in 2021, Samuel also carried the ball 59 times for 365 yards and eight touchdowns, breaking Eric Metcalf's record (six) for most rushing touchdowns by a wide receiver in a single season, set in 1989.

Samuel labelled himself a 'wide back' when asked to define his position, and his ability to do damage out of the backfield and as a receiver proved critical in the Niners' surge to the NFC Championship Game last season.

However, Samuel is thought to want to be used less in that multi-faceted manner, seemingly wary of his career being shortened by the wear and tear that comes with being deployed as a running back.

San Francisco picked running back Tyrion Davis-Price and receiver Danny Gray in the third round of the draft, with head coach Kyle Shanahan saying that pair can help lighten Samuel's workload.

The Niners are still to find a trade partner for Jimmy Garoppolo, who was expected to be moved on to allow last year's third overall pick Trey Lance to take over as the starting quarterback.

Revealing his belief they were close to a trade before Garoppolo's shoulder surgery, Lynch added: "I felt like we were close in some [trade] discussions, and then the decision was made to have surgery. That just brought things to a screeching halt. People just don't do that [commit to a trade], even with a likelihood that everything is going to be good.

"We continue to get calls about Jimmy, and we, as a group, got together and said he's too good of a player. He's got a lot of great tape out there. You don't just let guys like that walk out the door, and we want to either want to have Jimmy playing for us, which we're all right with, or we want him to get the value.... I think once he starts throwing, people will feel more comfortable.

"And then, obviously, you've got to let things play out for other teams.... Jimmy's a part of us. We're excited about that. But I think we all know that Trey's going to get the opportunity to go out there and play. He's got to earn that, but we believe he's in the process of doing that.

"It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if both of them were still here, and we move forward, and... he is equipped to do that."

Niners general manager John Lynch confirmed a report Reed had agreed terms on a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the Niners following his release by Washington.

The move reunites the 30-year-old with Shanahan, his former offensive coordinator in Washington, where Reed spent the first seven years of his career, amassing 3,371 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Reed's time in the NFL so far has largely been one of unfulfilled potential owing to a spate of injuries and concussions, with his seventh known concussion keeping him out of the entire 2019 season, yet Shanahan is optimistic about a tight end who has missed 47 games over his career.

"I know he hasn't been on the field for a little bit," Shanahan told reporters.

"I know he's very hungry to play football. He hasn't gotten to do much of that lately. When you have a talented guy who is hungry to play football, it works out if they can stay healthy.

"Jordan's had some bad luck over the years. I know he's ready to go. I hope he has some good luck here.

"If he does, I think it's going to be a hell of a deal for the Niners, and a really good deal for him also."

If Reed can stay on the gridiron, he would form arguably the best tight-end duo in the league along with All-Pro George Kittle.

That is why Lynch felt it was worth taking a chance to bring Reed into the building.

"It's well documented he's had multiple concussions prior," Lynch admitted.

"In situations like this, there's a reason a guy like Jordan Reed is out there, so there is some risk-reward.

"We got to a point where we felt the risk that we're taking on was worth it with the potential reward."

Kansas City recovered from an early 10-0 hole to prevail in Week 7, the Chiefs exploding and pulling away in the fourth quarter in a 44-23 triumph.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes shredded the Niners for 423 yards and three touchdowns, bouncing back in emphatic fashion after his interception on the Chiefs' first drive set up San Francisco's opening touchdown.

Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling both went over 100 yards receiving and tight end Travis Kelce had 98, while Mecole Hardman found the endzone three times, twice as a rusher and once as a receiver.

San Francisco entered the game as the NFL's top defense, allowing only 255.8 yards per game, and the Chiefs were coming off a Week 6 game in which they were frustrated and held to 20 points in a loss to the Buffalo Bills.

But instead of those point-scoring issues carrying into another tough matchup, the Chiefs found the explosiveness they needed, with Smith-Schuster crediting an online gaming session between Mahomes and his pass-catchers for their devastating display.

"I'm gonna tell you what got us the chemistry when we needed this game," Smith-Schuster told a press conference. 

"So, I think it was Friday night. It was me, Pat, Travis and MVS. We were playing Call of Duty together, we were playing Warzone, and we played three games, and we won three games, back-to-back.

"We got off, and we were like, 'damn'. It's really hard to win a game in Warzone. 

"You could just... the communication between all of us, and then the chemistry? It was like we were in the game. It kind of just led into this game, and it kind of just showed on the field."

Needing a field goal to extend the game or a touchdown to win, Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes orchestrated the match-winning drive to end the game with a touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman Jr.

The 49ers were leading by three in overtime after they opted for a field goal to go ahead 22-19, but were unable to get the decisive stop.

It was the second time in NFL history a Super Bowl went to overtime and the first post-season game decided under the league’s new overtime rules.

Mahomes finished with 333 throwing yards, two touchdowns and 66 running yards, while 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw for 255 yards with one touchdown.

The only points in the first quarter came through kicker Jake Moody, who made Super Bowl history with the longest made field goal at 55 yards.

Disaster struck 49ers’ linebacker Dre Greenlaw early in the second quarter when he went down with a suspected Achilles injury while running onto the field and was immediately ruled out of the game.

But not long after, a special trick-play led to the first touchdown of the game, with Purdy passing across field to wide-receiver Jauan Jennings before he threw a pass to Christian McCaffrey who ran through to the endzone untouched.

The 49ers restricted Travis Kelce to just one touch for one yard in the first half and sacked Mahomes twice, with the 49ers ahead 10-3 at halftime.

Alicia Keys, Lil John and Ludacris joined Usher during the half-time performance, while Taylor Swift was among celebrities including Blake Lively, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Jay Z watching from the stands.

As play resumed, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker broke Moody’s Super Bowl record with a 57-yard field goal before a fumble error gave the Chiefs a huge chance for their first touchdown.

Mahomes found wide-receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling with a 16-yard touchdown pass to take the lead for the first time in the game late in the third quarter.

However the 49ers hit back – with Purdy finding Jennings this time to score his own touchdown – however the bonus point was blocked, giving the 49ers a three-point lead with 11 minutes left.

A field goal to Butker tied the game once again, before Moody struck back to give the 49ers the lead again with less than two minutes left.

However, Butker finished regulation time with a field goal with six seconds left to tie the game 19-19.

Kittle, a star performer for the Niners in their outstanding NFL season, appeared on the injury report and sat out with an ankle problem.

But the 26-year-old was in high spirits as he returned to the field on Thursday ahead of the title game against the Green Bay Packers.

Asked for an assessment of his ankle, Kittle told reporters at a news conference: "I feel fabulous, thanks for asking."

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan discussed the decision to keep Kittle on the sidelines the previous day, having earlier given no indication of the issue.

"The soreness did [surprise me] a little bit," Shanahan said. "That's why I didn't bring it up in here before practice [on Wednesday].

"We knew he had some wear and tear from the game. It was a little sorer than we thought before practice, so that's why we held him out."

However, Shanahan was confident there would be no further surprises on that front.

Shanahan replied when asked if he was concerned by Kittle's ankle before Sunday: "No, I'm not."

Kittle started 14 of San Francisco's 16 regular-season games, missing two weeks with knee and ankle problems in November.

Ranked as the NFL's two best defenses in the regular season based on DVOA, the respective defensive units were both at the top of their game early, with the first four drives resulting in three punts and an interception.

It was Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott who threw that interception, and it was a sign of things to come in what was a day to forget for the Cowboys' franchise centrepiece.

Prescott put Dallas ahead with a touchdown pass to Dalton Schultz in the second quarter, but it would be their only touchdown of the game as they had to settle for only two field goals in the second half.

The 49ers led at half-time thanks to three Robbie Gould field goals, and after Brett Maher made one for the Cowboys in the third period to tie things up, star running back Christian McCaffrey forced his way into the endzone with the first play of the fourth quarter to give San Francisco a 16-9 lead.

After the two sides traded field goals, the Cowboys would get two chances to march down the field for a potential game-tying touchdown, but they would end in disappointment after a three-and-out left not enough time for Prescott to complete a miraculous comeback.

Prescott completed 23 of his 37 passes for 206 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, while his rookie counterpart kept things far cleaner.

Brock Purdy finished 19-of-29 for 214 yards and no turnovers, but it was George Kittle who was the star for the 49ers. He led all San Francisco receivers with five catches for 95 yards, including a crucial, juggling, 30-yard reception on the game-winning touchdown drive.

The 49ers will play the Philadelphia Eagles next, with a place in the Super Bowl on the line.

Pro Bowl tight end Kittle missed the 49ers' shock Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears with a groin injury.

Kittle returned to practice on Friday, but ESPN's Adam Schefter reported he is not expected to play as the 49ers look to avoid an 0-2 start in Trey Lance's first season as the starting quarterback.

However, NFL Media's Ian Rapoport labelled Kittle as a "game-time decision". According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Kittle is pushing to play despite the 49ers preparing to once again be without him.

The highlight of the early window of games is the NFC South clash between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints.

Tampa Bay will be without one wide receiver as Chris Godwin misses out because of a hamstring injury, but Mike Evans (calf) is expected to play. Veteran Julio Jones (knee) is questionable and the Bucs reportedly do not expect to know if he will be available until pre-game warm-ups.

Running back Leonard Fournette (hamstring) is set to play, but left tackle Donovan Smith is doubtful with an elbow injury.

For the Saints, running back Alvin Kamara is likely to miss out due to a rib injury, but his backup Mark Ingram (ankle) is expected to play, as is quarterback Jameis Winston (back).

In the Sunday night game, the Green Bay Packers are set to welcome back wide receiver Allen Lazard (ankle) for their encounter with the Bears at Lambeau Field.

The Pro Bowl tight end missed the 49ers' shock Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears with a groin injury but returned to practice on Friday, though he carried a questionable status.

Kittle has now been officially ruled as inactive for Week 2, marking the fourth consecutive season where he has missed multiple games.

After last week's loss to the Bears, the 49ers are 6-9 in games without Kittle during his career, including losses in six of their last seven without him.

San Francisco have lost four in a row to the Seahawks, who begun their season with a surprising victory against the Denver Broncos in Russell Wilson's return to Seattle.

All-Pro tight end Kittle has missed back-to-back games due to a knee injury sustained in the Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. 

But Kittle and receiver Deebo Samuel (fractured left foot) will return as the 49ers (2-1) face the Eagles (0-2-1) in Week 4 on Sunday, head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday.

"It's great getting Kittle back," Shanahan said after Kittle sat out the 36-9 win over the New York Giants in Week 3. "We were close last week and then you don't.

"I think that was what was tough a little bit about the Jordan Reed loss, because of how well he was playing and everything when we lost him during the game.

"But, being able to pull that off and still win and then get Kittle back this week, I think it excites guys a lot."

Last season's Super Bowl finalists the 49ers, however, will be without star signal-caller Garoppolo again as he continues to recover from a high right ankle sprain.

Garoppolo went down with an ankle injury in the 31-13 Week 2 success against the lowly New York Jets, and he has not featured since.

"I think you should be [cautious], but you don't think of it in terms of it's a long season. There's 13 more games to go," Shanahan said. "The NFL, I mean, we started 8-0 and only lost three games and winning your division still comes down to the last play of the year.

"So I've been in this game too long to take any game for granted. So it's not like you ever think in terms of, guys will talk that way and stuff, but anyone who has been in this league just reminds you that this game is just as important as Game 16.

"So it [not playing Garoppolo] has more to do with can they protect themselves, are they risking a long term injury. If they are [I'm] definitely not [playing them]."

The Niners had won their past three games but came undone in Seattle, falling to a 30-23 loss that dropped them to 6-6 and dented their playoff hopes.

San Francisco led 17-7 and 23-14 in the first half, but a series of damaging penalties and turnovers undermined the positives for the Niners, which included a nine-catch, 181-yard performance from tight end Kittle, who scored two touchdowns.

The Niners committed three turnovers, with Jimmy Garoppolo tossing a pair of interceptions, were called for 10 penalties and went three for 10 on third down in an error-strewn showing.

Yet San Francisco's defense stopped Seattle twice from inside their own 30-yard line in the second half, a forced fumble from linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair on the two-yard line giving the Niners the ball back with the chance to tie the game and force overtime.

The 49ers subsequently went 95 yards down the field, but Garoppolo saw a fourth-down throw to Trent Sherfield with seconds remaining batted down at the line of scrimmage as Seattle clung on.

Kittle was disappointed with the 49ers' offense inability to execute and the performance of the special teams, which gave up a fake punt touchdown and also lost a fumble when Travis Benjamin dropped the opening kickoff of the second half.

"This game was like a rollercoaster. It was pretty brutal," Kittle said. "I think our defense played really, really well for being down the amount of guys they were...

"At least two of your three teams have to play well, and I think our offense and our special teams didn't play our best games.

"I'm not trying to point fingers, but we have to hold each other accountable, gotta look in the mirror.

"Our run game was okay, but as a whole we have to run the ball better and just hold on to the football."

There was controversy on that final series, with Sidney Jones not penalised for holding or pass interference despite extremely physical coverage on Sherfield in the endzone on third down.  

However, Kittle refused to blame the officials, adding: "Refs make calls, they don't make calls. It is what it is. You've got to live with it.

"It's frustrating when there's drive stoppers. We had a couple penalties the last drive we were able to overcome. You can't use penalties as an excuse. You've just got to play better."

A moment of silence was held for Bryant at Marlins Park in Miami, where players from both the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs spoke about the NBA great.

The 18-time All Star was killed, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others on Sunday, shortly before the Niners and Chiefs arrived in Miami.

Here is what some of the leading Chiefs and 49ers players said about Bryant's death.

Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs quarterback): "I wasn't lucky enough to get to meet Kobe. But the impact that he made in my life, it was huge. The way he was able to go about every single day and the work ethic and the intensity that he had to be great every single day. Even to this day, I still watch videos on YouTube the day before games."

George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers tight end): "Other than my parents, he was the reason I played sports. Just his mindset, the 'Mamba mentality'. I wore the number 24 in high school, my freshman, sophomore year, because of him. I wore Kobe Bryant basketball shoes because of Kobe Bryant. Every time I laced up my basketball shoes, I felt like I had Kobe Bryant with me. I had a little part of him."

Richard Sherman (San Francisco 49ers cornerback): "There's not enough words in my vernacular, in my vocabulary, to give him the praise and the respect that he deserves. But he deserves every inch, every ounce of respect, every ounce of gratitude. He gave me a ton of inspiration and I'm sure he inspired millions and millions and trillions of other kids."

Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs tight end): "I had an opportunity to meet Kobe and he's just an unbelievable person. You can't say enough about who he was and his impact and with that, I just feel bad for the Bryant family, everybody involved out there on the west coast. My heart's with you as well as everyone here in America."

Frank Clark (Kansas City Chiefs defensive end): "The one person I looked to for inspiration and all my strength growing up when I was going through the things I was going through was Kobe Bryant. He was a successful guy and that's the one thing you look to. You look at the gangs and you look at the drug dealers and then you look at the guys who are successful."

Tyrann Mathieu (Kansas City Chiefs safety):"His will to win was nothing I'd ever seen before. I thought I practiced hard but going through YouTube videos and watching Kobe at practice, he was in a complete different element."

Dante Pettis (San Francisco 49ers wide receiver): "The way he attacked life, there was nothing Kobe couldn’t defeat. He was a hero. A hero in general. In everything he did. It wasn't just sports. He wasn't just a basketball player. Everything he did, he gave 100 percent. That's something I'd like to be able to do. I wanted to live like him."

Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers quarterback): "We were actually on the plane ride in, and someone told me in the seat behind me. Honestly, I didn't even believe it. It didn't register at first. Just so sudden and everything like that. It's hard to accept but just a terrible, terrible tragedy."

The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver leads the league in catches, touchdown receptions and receiving yards going into Week 18 of the regular season.

Only three players in the Super Bowl era have ever finished top of the standings in all three categories in the same year: Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe and Steve Smith. It is 16 years since the feat was last achieved.

Kupp has 138 receptions for 1,829 yards, totals which look highly unlikely to be caught in the last week of action before the playoffs.

His total of 15 touchdowns also looks strong, although the Cincinnati Bengals' rookie sensation Ja'Marr Chase has closed to within two behind him in that category after finding the endzone three times against the Kansas City Chiefs last time out.

Kupp's shot at history will come when the Rams host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, the team still looking to wrap up the NFC West title with the Arizona Cardinals in hot pursuit behind them.

"It would be a pretty incredible thing," Kupp said, per ESPN, of the prospect of earning the triple crown.

"There are a lot of good football players in this league, a lot of really good receivers who I've got a ton of respect for, so it would be very cool."

Kupp will also have the chance to set the single-season receiving yards record, which is currently held by Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson (1,964 in 2012).

The 28-year-old could also surpass the receptions record set by Michael Thomas (149) two years ago.

But Kupp concedes those records would come with an asterisk given the NFL is now playing a 17-game regular season.

"We're in a new age of football here," he said. "We're playing 17 games of football a year, and a lot of the stuff that happened before that, those records hold a different weight, being played in those 16 games.

"What those guys did in 16 games, it wouldn't seem right to, I don't know, for those to be broken in 17 games.

"It wouldn't hold the same weight to me as it does for guys that have done that in a 16-game season and the accomplishments those guys had and the seasons they put together. 

"Those are incredible things, incredible accomplishments. You kind of have to separate the two.

"I just have an incredible respect for what those guys were able to do, what they were able to accomplish, what they were able to produce for their teams in those 16 games."

The Rams are assured of a place in the playoffs regardless of the outcome against the Niners, but the prize of a home playoff game in Wild Card Weekend and a division title mean the stakes are still high.

"My priorities are going out and winning this game this week, whatever it takes to win it," added Kupp, when asked if setting records were his priority.

"If it means spending more time blocking defensive ends and being able to get [running back] Sony Michel sprung for some big gains, that would be huge. 

"I just want to do my job, whatever they ask of me, I just want to do my job over and over again and be a part of helping this team win."

The Rams face a Niners team who are looking to seal their own postseason berth. 

To progress, Kyle Shanahan's team must win or tie against the Rams or hope the New Orleans Saints fail to beat the Atlanta Falcons.

Quarterback Garoppolo broke his foot in the first quarter of Sunday's 33-17 win over the Miami Dolphins and head coach Shanahan confirmed a report from Tuesday that he did not suffer a Lisfranc injury that would require surgery.

Without the need for surgery and without any ligament damage, the timeline to recover from a fractured foot is in the seven-to-eight week range.

It was then being reported that he could be able to return for a Divisional Round game or the NFC Championship game, should the 49ers make it that far.

While his foot may be healed by the middle of January, Shanahan said he is not going to be ready to get back on the field from such an injury. 

'"There's that way outside chance late in the playoffs or something like that,'' Shanahan said on Wednesday. 

"'But it's just an outside chance. I'm not really real optimistic about that. But they didn't rule it out.

"'I know it's a serious injury that will likely keep him out for the year. It's really good news that there's no ligament damage or anything so he'll be fine once the broken bone heals.''

There is also the fact to consider if the 49ers are still alive in the second or third week of the playoffs, that Garoppolo’s replacement, Brock Purdy, is more than likely playing well enough.

After Garoppolo was injured against the Dolphins, Purdy capped his first drive with a three-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Juszczyk to put the 49ers ahead.

He threw another three-yard TD pass to Christian McCaffrey, and finished the day 25 of 37 for 210 yards with two touchdowns and an interception against a defense that attempted to unsettle him with blitzes.

Purdy, who was the last pick of this year's draft, had just attempted nine passes in his career prior to facing the Dolphins, and now gets a full week of preparation in practice with San Francisco's deep group of playmakers led by McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk.

''We're trying not to make a drastic change,'' Shanahan said. ''They have a similar skill set. We got a lot of confidence in Brock. We've seen him in practice. That's why we were confident enough. 

"He hasn't played a ton football, so there is some unknown out there. But we know he's got the ability to do it. We know he's got the mentality to do it.''

The 49ers traded three first-round picks to the Miami Dolphins to move up to the third overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, which they subsequently used on Lance.

Lance's performances in training camp have only served to increase the hype around the dual-threat signal-caller who has continually impressed in practice.

Yet Shanahan has been similarly pleased by what he has seen from Garoppolo, who helped guide the Niners to Super Bowl LIV, where he was criticised for his part in a fourth-quarter collapse before enduring an injury-plagued 2020.

And the head coach appears to be confident it is the former New England Patriot who will be under center against the Detroit Lions in Week 1.

"I think it's gonna be tough for [Lance] to win the job, just in terms of it being two different styles of quarterbacks and maybe a little different style of offense for both of them,” Shanahan told The MMQB's Albert Breer.

"I'd be very surprised if he did with the way Jimmy's playing. It'd put a lot on a kid to do that.

"He's doing everything he can. I'm very impressed with him so far, but I'd be very surprised if that happened."

However, Shanahan had previously said Lance, whose ability with his legs adds another dimension to the San Francisco offense, would see playing time as a rookie and indicated he could rotate Garoppolo and Lance based on in-game matchups.

"I think I can ride it out week in and week out, personally," Shanahan added. "I think our guys trust us to make the right decision. It's cool being in a building where no one has an agenda, whether it's me, the GM, the owner.

"Everyone's on the same page, there's no pressure – 'Hey, you have to do this or you have to do that'. And our players know that too, that's what's great about our place here.

"When players know you're on the same page with the personnel department, with the owner, then they don't really care. They just want to win.

"And I think when this is all said and done, there's gonna be two guys they believe will help us win and I think they'll trust us to make that decision, whether it's permanently, for one game, for a series or just a situation. We gotta balance that out right, though. It's tough to do, but it is as easy as 'How do you win the game?'

"I really try to keep as simple as what gives us the best chance right now to win. And I think our players trust that I'm like that. I think our quarterbacks trust that I'm like that.

"You can disagree, but it's hard to take it personally when it's like that. I hope we've got the right guys, the right team, and if they both keep getting better, it should be a good problem for me."

Lance missed the 49ers' Week 7 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts because of a knee sprain he suffered when starting in relief of the then injured Garoppolo in Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals.

Garoppolo was heavily criticised for his performance in the 30-18 loss to the Colts, which saw him complete 16 of 27 pass attempts for 181 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions as San Francisco lost a fourth straight game to drop to 2-4.

That has predictably led to calls for Lance, whom the 49ers selected after trading up to the third overall pick in this year's draft, to take the reins full-time.

He will not start against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, however, with head coach Kyle Shanahan waiting to see how Lance's knee reacts to practice before deciding how much he will be involved if at all.

"I don't think it's the right thing for him to start full-time right now, especially when I don't even know if he can get through practice today," Shanahan told a media conference. 

"So, I told you guys I understood why the questions are coming, but that's why I don't understand why that keeps coming, because I want to see if he's healthy today first. And then when he's healthy for at least more than one day, then we'll start to see when it's the best time for him."

However, Shanahan indicated he had been expecting an acceleration in Lance's development in the wake of his first start before injury curtailed his chance to build on that display, in which he went 15 for 29 for 192 yards and an interception while adding 89 yards on the ground.

"I think it was real unfortunate that, at the time he got to play, I thought he was ready to take off a little bit after that getting that experience," Shanahan added. 

"I thought that was going to be great for him to come back the next week, especially with Jimmy banged up a little bit, but he had an unfortunate injury, and it's lasting a little longer than expected.

"So, I'm excited to get him out there today. But he hasn't done anything in a couple of weeks, so we'll see where his progress is now."

Lance, the third overall pick in this year's draft, made his first NFL start on Sunday in the Niners' 17-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, with Garoppolo on the shelf due to a calf contusion.

The rookie was unable to mark his first full game with a victory, completing 15 of his 29 passes for 192 yards and one interception, which came on his first drive.

But the dual-threat upside that helped convince the Niners to trade three first-round picks to move up in the draft for Lance was on show as he ran for 89 yards on 16 carries.

Lance would have found the endzone on a key fourth down on Arizona's one-yard line in the second quarter if not for a great stop by Isaiah Simmons.

The Niners went one for five on fourth down with those struggles and poor offensive execution from Lance's surrounding cast dooming a San Francisco team that outgained the unbeaten Cardinals 338 yards to 304.

Garoppolo appears on track to return after the Niners' Week 6 bye, San Francisco set to face the Indianapolis Colts at home in Week 7, with Shanahan suggesting he will get the nod under center if he is healthy.

"No, nothing's changed," head coach Shanahan said of the situation at quarterback. "It's just one game. It's one game. It's a tough loss right there, and I'll talk to our whole team tomorrow and think of how we can get our whole team better coming back off the bye."

On Lance, he added: "I thought he did some really good things. It definitely wasn't perfect, which no one ever has been.

"The first pick I thought just sailed on him. He was going to the right spot but it just got away from him on the first drive.

"I thought overall, I think we could've done better around him. I thought he did good enough to win."

"The defense kept us in it, for sure," Lance said. "I mean, the [Cardinals'] offense is very explosive. They make a lot of big plays, and our defense definitely gave us a shot. So, we've got to capitalise, got to do better, make more plays.

"I'm obviously disappointed. I really wanted to win that game. But we'll keep our heads up, learn from it, learn as much as I can, get as better as I can from it.

"I'm super proud of these guys. Defensively, offensively, we competed. How hard these guys played, they battled through a lot, some tough penalties, things like that, but we're going to learn a lot from it, and we're going to be better for it."

Rookie third overall pick Lance was not able to win the starting quarterback job from Garoppolo, yet he still made his regular-season debut at Ford Field on Sunday, and he took his first snap with the Niners on the Detroit 16-yard line on their second drive of the day.

His second snap saw him hit Trent Sherfield for a five-yard touchdown pass and, though Detroit responded with Jared Goff connecting with tight end T.J. Hockenson, Garoppolo's 314-yard performance, which included a 79-yard touchdown throw to Deebo Samuel, scores on the ground from rookie Elijah Mitchell and JaMycal Hasty and a Dre Greenlaw pick-six appeared to have put the game beyond all doubt.

San Francisco led 41-17 with under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but a Jamaal Williams short-yardage plunge followed by a two-point conversion provided Detroit a glimmer of hope that grew brighter when George Kittle was unable to field an onside kick.

The Lions subsequently drove down the field and Goff found Quintez Cephus for a two-yard touchdown and another two-point conversion. They then had a chance to tie the game following a fumble from Samuel, but Detroit could not complete an incredible comeback to force overtime.

Samson Ebukam's pressure forced Goff into an errant throw, allowing the Niners to breathe a huge sigh of relief.

It was, however, a pyrrhic victory for San Francisco, who lost cornerback Jason Verrett to what head coach Kyle Shanahan believes is a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Though the 49ers took defensive starters out of the game following Verrett's injury with what eventually proved an insurmountable lead, the ease with which the Lions moved the ball late in the game should be of concern to San Francisco, especially with two of their NFC West rivals enjoying excellent days.

The Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks each won comfortably. Kyler Murray threw for four touchdowns and ran for another while defensive end Chandler Jones had five sacks in the Cardinals' easy 38-13 win over the Tennessee Titans, while Russell Wilson had four touchdown passes for the Seahawks as they saw off the Indianapolis Colts 28-16.

Steelers stun Bills

While not quite as dramatic as events in Detroit, the Pittsburgh Steelers' win over the Buffalo Bills at Orchard Park was certainly unexpected.

The Bills led 10-0 at the end of the first half, but Josh Allen was sacked three times as the Steelers held a usually explosive offense in check.

And, after a pair of field goals from Chris Boswell, Diontae Johnson's spectacular catch at the back of the endzone in the fourth quarter gave them a lead they would not relinquish.

Ulysees Gilbert III recovered a blocked punt to make it 19-10 Steelers, Mike Tomlin's men going on to close out a 23-16 win that deals an early blow to a Bills team seen as Super Bowl contenders.

Burrow makes winning return

Last year's number one overall pick Joe Burrow made his return from a serious knee injury in the Cincinnati Bengals' clash with the Minnesota Vikings, and it proved a successful one in a thriller at Paul Brown Stadium.

He connected with college team-mate Ja'Marr Chase, the fifth overall pick by the Bengals this year, for a 50-yard touchdown in the first quarter to give Cincinnati a lead that they eventually let slip late in the fourth quarter when Vikings kicker Greg Joseph tied matters at 24-24 with a 53-yard field goal.

That forced overtime, but a Dalvin Cook fumble in Bengals territory handed Burrow and the Bengals the chance to clinch it, and he did just that with a drive that set up Evan McPherson's 33-yard field goal and sealed a 27-24 success.

This year's number one overall pick, Trevor Lawrence, endured a very different day. He threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions as the Jacksonville Jaguars were beaten 37-21 by the Houston Texans.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Lance would get the start after Jimmy Garoppolo again missed practice on Friday.

Garoppolo suffered a calf contusion during the first offensive series in San Francisco's 28-21 loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week.

He played the rest of the first half but was replaced by rookie third overall pick Lance for the second half.

Lance completed nine of his 18 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 41 yards on seven carries.

San Francisco traded three first-round selections to move up from the 12th pick to the third pick in this year's draft for the right to take Lance and make him their quarterback of the future.

Sunday will provide his first opportunity to prove the 2-2 Niners were right to make that move across the course of a full game.

Inexperienced even at the college level, Lance played only one full season as a starter for North Dakota State in 2019, which saw him account for 42 total touchdowns and zero interceptions, with the COVID-19 pandemic limiting him to a one-game exhibition in 2020.

But Lance is undaunted by the challenge of stepping up to start at the highest level this early in his career against an undefeated Cardinals team.

"I feel very prepared. I really do. And I think that's a credit to the coaching staff and the guys around me," Lance told a media conference. 

"Those guys have made me feel very confident this week, and I feel confident in myself, just as I did going into the Seattle game, and just as I did every other week before this."

Lance is unlikely to have one of the 49ers' top offensive weapons available, with tight end George Kittle doubtful with a calf injury. Rookie running back Elijah Mitchell is set to return from a shoulder injury, meaning the running game will be almost exclusively in the hands of three rookies in the form of Lance, Mitchell and third-round pick Trey Sermon.

Lawrence, Lance and fellow first-round rookie quarterbacks Zach Wilson and Justin Fields all took the field for the first time on Saturday.

Long seen as a generational quarterback prospect, the pressure is on Lawrence to inspire a turnaround for a Jacksonville Jaguars team that went 1-15 in 2020.

The early signs were positive for Lawrence, who completed six of his nine passes for 71 yards in the Jaguars' preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns, the former Clemson star bouncing back after he fumbled after being sacked on his first play.

"I feel like the first time out there, I felt comfortable, felt poised," Lawrence said. "Obviously, the first play's not kind of what you want for the first play, but after that, I thought we did a good job.

"We communicated well up front. They did a really good job of protection. At least one of those sacks was on me, for sure, just holding the ball too long. That's something I'll work on.

"Just manoeuvring in the pocket is something I've always got to work on. Other than that, I missed an easy one to Marvin [Jones], a little quick out I wish I would have hit.

"But other than that, I felt good out there. I think we were seeing it, all on the same page. There's obviously things to clean up, but I thought it was a pretty good day."

Lance didn't complete as many passes, going five of 14, but he had the most spectacular play of the four rookie quarterbacks, hitting Niners wide receiver Trent Sherfield for an 80-yard touchdown throw in their meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The third overall pick, whom San Francisco selected after trading three first-round picks to move up in the draft, said: "It was super exciting. Kind of the moment you dream of scoring your first touchdown.

"Even though it's preseason, it's pretty cool. With my team-mates, the guys in that locker room, that they were so excited for me and for Trent making that play. It was for sure a special moment and I wish I could've capitalised on the opportunities that came after that."

Former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is now head coach of the New York Jets and witnessed an encouraging performance from Wilson.

Wilson went six of nine for 63 yards as the Jets beat the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.

"I thought it was good," said Wilson of his showing. "Of course, still things to clean up. It was a great experience. I really enjoyed having that game-like setting.

"The introduction to kind of like the NFL, the whole game, it's great for everybody, no matter how much football you've played, it was awesome to get out there."

Fields fell to the 11th pick in the draft, with the Chicago Bears trading up to select him, and they will be more confident in that decision after he threw for one touchdown and ran for another against the Miami Dolphins.

An uneven opening gave way to a performance that will increase calls for him to start over veteran Andy Dalton and afterwards Fields said of the speed of the game: "It was actually kind of slow to me, to be honest.

"I think I was expecting it to be a little bit faster but practicing game speed, going at it with my team-mates every day, of course, you know, we have a great defense so, me going against them every day, it definitely slowed the game up a little bit for me. So, I felt comfortable out there.

"Of course, I have room to grow, so I'm just gonna try to get better each and every day."