Since joining the San Francisco 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo has always been regarded as a backup quarterback by the management. Despite being a fan favorite, Garoppolo lost his starting spot to Trey Lance during training camp this year. Jimmy spent the majority of his time on the bench and did not see much playing time either.
However, after Lance suffered an ankle injury during a match against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, Garoppolo replaced him in the first quarter. As soon as he entered the field as Lance’s substitute, cheers erupted from every nook and cranny of Levi’s stadium. The veteran acknowledged that the fans’ support was overwhelming, and he was humbled to be a part of such a kind group of admirers.
In that match, the 30-year-old led his side to a 27-7 victory by throwing for 154 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Following the game, it was discovered that Lance’s injury was season-ending, allowing Garoppolo to reclaim the starting spot for the rest of the season.
On the other hand, after the quarterback delivered an eye-popping performance, the management suddenly started showering him with compliments. The victory seemed to have transformed the perspective of the Niners locker room, especially with coach Kyle Shanahan publicly endorsing Jimmy G and labeling him one of the best throwers on the globe.
What did Kyle Shanahan say that made the fans enraged?
“I’ve never not seen Jimmy throw the ball,” Shanahan said. “I think Jimmy’s one of the better throwers on this planet, so that’s been one of his number one attributes. I thought Jimmy had his best year last year. Got surgery at the end of the year, and once his arm started healing up, which throwing on the side and stuff, it always looked good.” he added to his explanation.
Kyle Shanahan showing support for his QB.
#FTTB | #NFL pic.twitter.com/wakE5ZRoaC— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 24, 2022
Coach Shanahan indirectly implied that Jimmy was “better” than Trey Lance. Meanwhile, Shanahan’s most recent compliment to the QB appears to have raised some eyebrows. Moreover, after the coach made the statements, the fans were outraged.
The 49ers’ supporters disputed the coach’s assertions, asking why Garoppolo, in his opinion, wasn’t prioritized over Trey Lance if he was so great. Others have accused the head coach directly of claiming that Kyle is sugarcoating Jimmy to make up for the lost playing time. One fan even said that, “If that’s true why did you bench him?”
If that's true why did you bench him?
— Nathan D (@TheSonicFan24) September 25, 2022
