Shanahan: I’ve been on a team that was 3-6 that still made the playoffs

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan seemed optimistic Tuesday afternoon about the Niners’ prospects of making the playoffs. Shanahan is hopeful of getting Tevin Coleman, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Deebo Samuel, Raheem Mostert, and Richard Sherman back for the Rams game.

With the new COVID protocols, Shanahan said that the team would not have any players in the building this week. The initial plan was to bring the team in on Tuesday and Wednesday, but because Arik Armstead is on the COVID list, that wasn’t an option. The players will return to the 49ers’ facilities on Saturday. Shanahan said that Armstead did have some “close contacts,” and we’ll know who was on that list later this week.

Shanahan said he’s “really holding out hope” that Jimmy Garoppolo can comeback this season and play. Kyle added that if the outcomes change, referencing winning and losing, that a few other players could join Jimmy later this season. Dee Ford? Weston Richburg? Shanahan wasn’t specific, but that was an interesting tidbit, he added. Shanahan talked about how Garoppolo had a bad ankle injury and how not having surgery gives Jimmy a chance to return this season.

Garoppolo just recently got out of a walking boot, which gives him a chance to return as well. The timetable of 4-6 weeks has not changed. Shanahan discussed Garoppolo’s future, but we’ll save that for Wednesday. Shanahan said that he’s been on a team that was 3-6 that still made the playoffs when they went into their bye. That’s why he still believes the Niners can make the playoffs. “I think we have guys on this team that are capable of finishing the right way. We have to do it one game at a time, and I hope Jimmy can come back and be a part of that.”