Jimmy Garoppolo left his old stomping grounds with a win and a little bling. But he didn't keep the latter very long.
The 49ers rolled into Gillette Stadium on Sunday and plastered the New England Patriots 33-6, dealing Bill Belichick his largest home loss as Patriots head coach.
With Garoppolo earning the W back in Foxboro, the 49ers gave him the victory chain, which normally is given to the standout player after each win.
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Now, Garoppolo's play was nothing to write home about Sunday in New England. He went 20-for-25 for 277 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Coach Kyle Shanahan once again engineered the game plan to limit the risks Garoppolo would take downfield. Of his 20 completions, 10 were at or behind the line of scrimmage and only one of his other 10 completions was more than 15 yards down the field.
Still, it was an important day for Garoppolo, so the victory chain likely had more to do with his leadership and the emotional week than his play on the field.
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Ever the leader, Garoppolo didn't keep the victory chain for long.
“I gave the victory chain to the running backs,” Garoppolo said. “Those guys earned it tonight. All of them, they were playing their ass off, running hard setting the tone, getting those extra dirty yards that is the staple of our team.”
Now 4-3, the 49ers are gaining momentum and finally moving in the right direction. Just in time to face the Seattle Seahawks next week.
For now, Garoppolo will no doubt enjoy the win against the team that drafted, developed and then traded him. Has to feel great, baby.