The 49ers have clawed their way back into contention in the NFC -- and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is a big reason why.
The veteran signal-caller has been hot at the right time for the resurgent Niners, playing some of his best ball while the team has gone 5-2 in its last seven games.
And, according to longtime football writer Peter King of NBC Sports, the 49ers and their coaching staff have been very pleased with Garoppolo's poise and performance given the challenges presented to him this season.
So pleased, in fact, that apparently it's far from a given that Garoppolo's presumed heir apparent, rookie Trey Lance, will be taking over under center next season.
"I’m told the Niners have not made up their minds, at all, about how to handle their quarterback situation in 2022 and beyond," King wrote in the latest edition of his weekly column, "Football Morning in America."
"They shouldn’t be. How do you know how Garoppolo will play down the stretch, and into a playoff run if that’s the fate of this season? I’m also told the Niners have been impressed, with Garoppolo’s career on the line, with how he’s handled this weird year, with Lance being the third pick in the draft and with Garoppolo expected to just handle things like a pro. He has."
The drafting of Lance third overall surely must have been an alarm for Garoppolo, who has faced little in-house competition for his role as starter since joining the 49ers several years ago.
But those who were bearish on Lance given his relative lack of experience in the college ranks have been proven correct early on. Though Lance has occasionally flashed his immense upside in the small handful of opportunities he's had so far this season, he has also looked raw at times, and his development has been slowed by nagging injuries.
Lance has only played five garbage time snaps since starting Week 5 when Garoppolo was injured earlier in the season.
King's report about the Niners' stance on Garoppolo comes the morning after Jimmy G led San Francisco to a dramatic overtime victory over the Bengals in Cincinnati in Week 14. With the win, the 49ers improved to 7-6 and took control of the second wild card spot in the NFC.
Coach Kyle Shanahan heaped praise on Garoppolo after the game, calling him one of his favorite players.
“Jimmy’s one of my favorite people that I’ve ever coached,” Shanahan said. “He’s a hell of a dude. He’s not trying to hide anything. I also don’t want to downplay it and say this whole situation is just not a big deal. It’s a huge deal. Really hard on him.
"But he came in with the right mindset all the way back in OTAs. He hasn’t gotten sideways at all through any of it. No matter what he hears, he’s been the exact same guy I’ve known the four years prior, and that’s given us a chance to fight through this year. It’s given us the chance to be at where we’re at right now.”
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