The theme of the NFL’s postseason advertising campaign is “I Got Your Back.” The commercials ask, “Who’s got your back?” before the answer is chanted by fans of the teams in the postseason.
Jimmy Garoppolo doesn’t have to ask the question.
Some of his teammates, including Nick Bosa, Jaquiski Tartt, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, have made public shows of support for their quarterback.
“They probably feel a need to stick up for him,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday, via Cam Inman of The Mercury News. “Social media probably hasn’t been that great. I’m glad they’re sticking up for him, because what they say is the truth.
“Jimmy is one of the main reasons we’re here. He’s done an unbelievable job and people don’t give him enough credit. We win as a team, and that’s why he doesn’t always have the same stats as the MVP candidates.”
Garoppolo has received criticism despite the 49ers’ playoff success in his career. The 49ers are 4-1 in two playoff appearances the past three seasons, but Garoppolo is only 64-of-102 for 730 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions.
In victories over Dallas and Green Bay the past two weeks, Garoppolo has only 303 yards passing with no touchdowns and two interceptions.
“Jimmy’s a very good quarterback and he doesn’t worry about any of that stuff,” Shanahan said. “He doesn’t worry about social media. That’s why he’s a little similar to me and doesn’t have much an idea about that stuff and he never really changes, and that’s what people respect the most about of him.”
Still, the 49ers are expected to hand the job to Trey Lance, the third overall choice in 2021, and trade Garoppolo in the offseason. It’s like the Chiefs’ plan for Patrick Mahomes when they drafted him 10th overall in 2017 and moved on from Alex Smith the following season by trading Smith to Washington.
