San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan defended quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo
"I think he had a hell of a first year truly playing the position."
Kyle Shanahan said his opinion of Jimmy Garoppolo is the same now as it was before the Super Bowl, noting that the quarterback’s play was “one of the main reasons” the San Francisco 49ers made it that far.
“He was on his way close to a Super Bowl MVP and we all know we didn’t … make those plays at the end but we made those plays all year, our whole team, that’s one of the reasons we were there,” Shanahan, the team’s head coach, told reporters on Thursday.
Shanahan said it’s inevitable that the quarterback will be attacked when plays don’t go their way at the end of games, followed by the play-caller. The 49ers led 20-10 before the Kansas City Chiefs scored 21 unanswered in the fourth quarter en route to a 31-20 win, and Garoppolo was off his game in the fourth. He finished 3 of 11 for 36 yards and an interception in the final quarter, but Shahahan adamantly stuck up for his QB.
He said the fact that Garoppolo consistently improved throughout the year and didn’t let the pressure get to him made him a thrill to coach.
“He overcame a lot,” Shanahan said. “This is his first year in his career going through an entire NFL season. So, he still doesn’t have as many starts and stuff as Baker Mayfield. I think he had a hell of a first year truly playing the position, especially coming off (a torn) ACL where you have to fight through that a ton as a quarterback where your rhythm and everything is not there at the beginning of the year.”
Kyle Shanahan on QB Jimmy Garoppolo: “Jimmy is one of the main reasons we got to the Super Bowl.”
He noted Garoppolo still doesn’t have as many NFL starts as Baker Mayfield.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) February 6, 2020
The 49ers are 21-6, including playoff games, with the former Patriot QB Garoppolo as their starter.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com