San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo made his debut in Week 12 after C.J. Beathard suffered a lower leg injury. Beathard took a hit from Michael Bennett, and was down for several minutes while the trainers looked him over. Garoppolo warmed up on the sideline, and eventually played the final three snaps of the game.
When Garoppolo was getting ready to come on the field, fans started cheering for him. Given the offensive struggles and the high expectations for Garoppolo, it was not entirely surprising to hear people get excited. However, the timing of it was not ideal. While Garoppolo was coming on the field, Beathard was limping off with what Kyle Shanahan hopes is no more than a bruise.
The excitement is understandable, but Reuben Foster and Eric Reid were both displeased with how the fans responded. Foster understood having Garoppolo’s back, but also made it clear they needed to have Beathard’s back as well. He had taken a pounding, and Foster wanted to make it clear that he deserved better. Reid said he was pissed at the reactions to it. Joe Staley did not think the fans were being malicious, but he thought it was a bad look.
You can watch both videos below. I get the excitement of seeing Garoppolo heading on the field, but both defensive leaders make excellent points about backing Beathard amidst the injury. It’s not about who will be starting next Sunday, but rather showing respect for an injured player.
Reuben Foster
Reuben Foster on crowd's reaction late in the game... pic.twitter.com/VfjVMsVipD
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) November 27, 2017
Eric Reid
Eric Reid’s comments regarding fans cheering while CJ Beathard was injured and still laying on the ground. #49ers pic.twitter.com/zHfmIQawhs
— Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) November 27, 2017