Why 49ers cutting Jimmy Garoppolo for Tom Brady truly makes no sense

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Tom Brady and the Super Bowl just can't let each other go. The Lombardi Trophy asked for space, but there's Brady lurking in the shadows. He just can't go away. 

Super Bowl LIV was the first time Brady and the New England Patriots weren't playing in the Big Game since the 2015 season. As the finger pointing began -- mostly towards coach Kyle Shanahan or QB Jimmy Garoppolo -- after the 49ers' collapse against the Kansas City Chiefs, somehow, some way, Brady's name began popping up again. 

And not just for that Hulu commercial

FOX Sports 1's Skip Bayless gargled his usual amount of water trash on Monday morning on "Undisputed," claiming the 49ers should cut Garoppolo and sign 42-year-old Tom Brady in free agency.

It didn't take too long for calmer, smarter heads to prevail. Dan Orlovsky, who played eight seasons as an NFL QB, shredded any nonsense of San Francisco making such moves when he appeared on ESPN's "Get Up" on Tuesday morning. 

"Jimmy Garoppolo just led this team to a 13-3 record. He was 18-of-21 before that fourth quarter that you mentioned, and this is his first year fully starting," Orlovsky said. "He was top five in touchdowns, top five in completion percentage, top five in yards per attempt. He's 28 years old. He's $80 million over the cap over the next three years. He's 23-6 as a starting quarterback. Why would the San Francisco 49ers ... and again, listen, Brady makes no sense for them schematically.

"Kyle Shanahan has a very specific scheme. It is about moving the quarterback outside the pocket. Brady is not going to do that. There is zero percent chance of this ever being a reality. Zero." 

Case in point from someone who actually has played the position instead of listening to someone who should be wearing a red nose when he appears in front of TV cameras. 

Garoppolo wasn't perfect in the 49ers' loss. Neither was his head coach. Jimmy G completed only three of his 11 pass attempts in the fourth quarter. He also was a main reason why San Francisco held a 10-point lead with slightly over six minutes remaining in the first place.

Garoppolo finished his first Super Bowl start going 20-for-31 for 219 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. For three-plus quarters, he looked like a possible Super Bowl MVP. And then he, Shanahan and the 49ers' historic defense came apart as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs couldn't be stopped. 

The Super Bowl loss capped off a season full of surprise and reasons to celebrate, albeit with a disappointing defeat in the end. That doesn't mean it's time for a change at QB, especially to bring someone in who probably should be spending time with his kids instead of lacing up his cleats. 

Garoppolo had one of the best statistical seasons for a 49ers quarterback in the past two decades. He threw for 3,978 yards in the regular season -- the fourth-most in franchise history -- with 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while averaging 8.4 yards per attempt. Garoppolo also completed 69.1 percent of his passes and had a 102.0 QB rating.

Brady, Garoppolo's former Patriots teammate who is 14 years older than the 49ers' QB, had his worst season in years. He completed just 60.8 percent of his passes while throwing for 4,057 yards, 24 TDs and eight INTs. The six-time Super Bowl champion averaged only 6.6 yards per attempt and had an 88.0 QB rating. 

There's no doubt Brady still has his winning DNA running through his veins. That isn't going anywhere. But his skills are. Father Time beats all, no matter how dark Brady dies his hair. 

Garoppolo faltered in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, along with the rest of his teammates. Don't forget, though, he came through in the clutch multiple times throughout the season, including on the road in New Orleans and Seattle. 

[RELATED: Jimmy G gets support from The Rock after Super Bowl loss]

Forget his contract for a moment. Even forget his chin line. Garoppolo made the leap this season, which we forget was his first as a full-time starter. Next season, and years after, could be even better as he grows under Shanahan. 

The loss hurts for the 49ers and The Faithful alike. When it comes to the Quest for Six, however, Jimmy G is the clear-cut answer. The protege, in this case, prevails over his mentor.

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