49ers fear Jimmy Garoppolo tore ACL in loss to Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The  San Francisco 49ers fear that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo tore the ACL in his left knee late in Sunday's game, coach Kyle Shanahan said after his team's 38-27 loss to the to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Garoppolo will have an MRI on Monday to confirm the extent of the injury, but initial hopes within the team are not positive for the 26-year-old.

With about five and a half minutes left to play, Garoppolo scrambled down the left sideline in hopes of extending the Niners' fourth-quarter comeback attempt.

After gaining 13 yards, Garoppolo had the choice between stepping out of bounds or staying in and taking the risk of a hit from a defender. He took an awkward step with his left foot near the sideline, then rammed into Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson at Kansas City's 7-yard line.

Garoppolo crumpled to the ground, where he received immediate medical attention. Garoppolo was eventually able to hobble to the sideline, where he sat on the bench and pointed to his left knee as the Niners medical staff surrounded him. He then entered the blue medical tent as C.J. Beathard replaced him.

Soon after, Garoppolo left the game on a cart and did not return. He was officially ruled out for the rest of the game with about two and a half minutes left to play, and the Chiefs completed their win.

Before the injury, Garoppolo was 20-of-30 for 251 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 114.7.

Garoppolo wasn't the only Niners' star to leave Sunday's game with an injury. Cornerback Richard Sherman suffered a calf injury late in the second quarter, an injury that not only kept him out for the rest of the game but also required a Niners staff member to assist him on his walk to the locker room at halftime.

Before departing, Sherman had two tackles and broke up a deep pass that Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes slightly underthrew for receiver Tyreek Hill.

Sherman was playing his third regular-season game after recovering from the torn right Achilles he suffered last November. He also had surgery to remove bone spurs from his left ankle in the offseason and missed practice Thursday with what the Niners called a heel injury.