Jimmy Garoppolo has slowly made a name for himself in the league. The reputation he has is one of a game manager that won’t lose you games but also won’t win you the big ones.
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Jimmy Garoppolo has an interesting history in the NFL. Jimmy G was drafted in the 2014 NFL draft in the second round by the New England Patriots. With the Patriots, Garoppolo served as Tom Brady’s backup until he was later traded.
The rumors out of New England were that the Patriots spent an early pick on Garoppolo to eventually become Brady’s heir. After 3 full seasons in New England, Garoppolo had put enough game on tape for teams to start noticing his talent.
After a 2017 offseason filled with trade rumors and grumblings about an unhappy Tom Brady, Garoppolo was finally traded. Brady was becoming insecure of Garoppolo eventually taking the starting spot which created a feud between Brady and Bill Belichick.
Garoppolo was traded to the San Francisco 49ers to turn the franchise around with new offensive genius head coach Kyle Shanahan. Shanahan was part of a new regime that wanted to change the culture and the look of the team.
Jimmy Garoppolo was the first step towards pushing the 49ers back to their winning ways
Jimmy G started 5 games after he was traded which resulted in a 5-0 finish to the season. The 49ers decided they had seen enough and gave him a new contract. This contract was a 5 year extension worth up to $138 million.
In the following seasons, Garoppolo led the 49ers to the Super Bowl and the NFC Championship game. Both times, the 49ers could have won the big game but fell just short. However, Garoppolo managed to help change the culture around in the Bay Area.
However, Garoppolo had unusual habits with his teammates during the offseason. Reports have stated that Garoppolo has a habit of ghosting the team in the offseason. This first started after he inked his huge extension and has gone until now.
When George Kittle mentioned this in his Super Bowl presser, many regarded his comments as a joke. But we are now seeing that Kittle actually meant what he said.
Even though Jimmy G is not the greatest communicator, there is no question that the 49ers locker room thinks highly of him. Garoppolo has always had the locker room with him and is a key part in turning the franchise around.
