There has been a lot of speculation about the future of Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco, and coach Kyle Shanahan hopes to set the record on Monday.
“Yes, I believe Jimmy will be our defender next year,” said Shanahan.
Garoppolo’s future came into question after the defender was sent off for injury in most of the 49ers’ uninspiring season. He suffered multiple ankle sprains that kept him out of the team for nearly three quarters of the season.
Despite the quarterback’s injury problems, Shanahan believes that when healthy, Garoppolo will be the best option for San Francisco in the future.
“Look at Jimmy’s record when he was here. Jimmy, you can win. He proved he’s a full-back in this league,” said Shanahan. “There is a reason why his record is what it is, which is why we paid him to be our starting quarterback.”
After a mid-season switch from the New England Patriots in 2017, Garoppolo took the 1-10 49ers to five straight wins to close the season, winning a lucrative five-year deal at the end of the season. Since joining San Francisco, the 49ers have a record of 22-8 with Garoppolo as a starter (24-9 including the postseason). Without the quarterback in the lineup, San Francisco is 7-26.
In his first, and only, full season as an NFL starter, he led San Francisco to a run of 13 Super Bowl wins in 2019.
Garoppolo has a 67.5 percent completion rate in San Francisco, pitching for almost 5,800 yards, 8.5 yards per attempt, 35 touchdowns for 21 interceptions and a passer rating of 98.1. Its completion percentage of 67.5 ranks first in the franchise’s history and its passer rank ranks second, behind Steve Young.
This off-season offers a wide range of options available in the quarterback through the draft and the free agency. Shanahan and general manager John Lynch reiterated their desire to upgrade in any position deemed necessary on the list. While the quartrtback position also falls into that category, the 49ers seem happy with Garoppolo remaining below the center in 2021.
“You look at every avenue and see if there’s anything out there that can improve a lot,” said Shanahan. “That’s the same answer for each position. But look at Jimmy, look at what he did. See where he is financially. It is better to have a very good answer if you are going to find something better than that, because Jimmy showed in a year where he is the guy who can take us to the Super Bowl and I also think Jimmy is going to get a lot better the more he plays. “
Despite starting 30 games, Garoppolo lost 23 due to injuries. The signal caller has lost the 49ers in the last six competitions while trying to recover from a new and worsening ankle sprain he suffered in week 8. San Francisco opened Garoppolo’s training window last week, and Shanahan highlighted the increased energy with the quarterback in the field.
While the 49ers are set to end the season in the divisional clash against the Seattle Seahawks, the team is not guaranteeing the quarterback’s return in 2020. Backup CJ Beathard appears to be on the line for his second consecutive start to the season. Whether Garoppolo follows an inspiring and healthy series of practices in the coming days, the signs, and Shanahan, are tending to make a comeback in the 2021 season for the defender.
“With Jimmy, it’s about getting back on the field for him and that’s why he had so much more fun last week. I can’t say how different our players are, just by having Jimmy there,” Shanahan said. “Jimmy handled the situation well. That’s why he has a chance to come back this week. But until the doctors give us the chance, we won’t be coming back.”