Not usually one to lose his composure, Jimmy Garoppolo gave a rare glimpse into his psyche Sunday night, appearing to mouth the words, “All your plays suck, man” during a tense moment in the 49ers’ loss to Denver. Recently elevated to QB1 status following a season-ending injury to starter Trey Lance, Garoppolo endured a frustrating night against the Broncos, committing an interception and a costly safety (running out the back of the end zone a la Dan Orlovsky) while absorbing four sacks for a loss of 32 yards.
It's unclear what specific play or plays Garoppolo took exception to, though it’s obvious he and coach Kyle Shanahan weren’t on the same page, managing only three points over the final three quarters of a game that saw San Francisco produce just 267 yards of total offense. Was Garoppolo merely blowing off steam or was his outburst indicative of a fractured relationship with Shanahan, a resentment born of nearly being traded while losing his starting role to a seemingly inferior player in Lance?
That’s a question only Garoppolo himself can answer, though Sunday’s setback in Denver certainly took some of the steam out of Jimmy G’s hype train, reminding fans that San Francisco’s offense is still very much a work in progress. Credited as one of the most creative and innovative play-callers in football, Shanahan has earned the benefit of the doubt, though, for the Niners to be successful this year, he and Garoppolo will have to meet each other halfway, scheming to take full advantage of San Francisco’s considerable talent well led by offensive weapons George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
It was only a few short months ago that Garoppolo, after leading the 49ers to their second NFC Championship appearance in three seasons, said goodbye to the San Francisco media, preparing for a trade elsewhere under the assumption Lance would take over in 2022. As much as the Niners have tried to make Garoppolo feel at home again, residual awkwardness still lingers, with Jimmy G now taking marching orders from a coach who didn’t want him. It’s an odd dynamic to navigate, though, unfortunately, with Lance on crutches, the Niners don’t have much choice on the matter.
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