The Garoppolo Affect

The Garoppolo Affect

Training Camp is due to start on 26^th July and the 49ers are about to embark on a new era, with Trey Lance assuming the starting Quarterback position. I wanted to take this time to reflect on Jimmy Garoppolo and the impact he has had on the organisation, coaches, and the Faithful.

The Trade

In professional sports, the fans, even beat writers can sometimes, not quite grasp the importance of a player or coach entering the locker room. On 31^st October 2017, John Lynch, negotiated a trade with the New England Patriots which bought Garoppolo to the 49ers in exchange for 2^nd round draft pick in 2018. I want to start here by stating that this will go down in 49ers history as one of the most profitable trades in the team’s history and for the York ownership probably the most meaningful in rebuilding the trust with the Faithful.

Prior to Garoppolo arriving, the team had a coach and GM who were trying to build a culture of winning, building the roster, and trying to attract free agents to the team. When Garoppolo arrived, the coach and GM, now had a Quarterback, a face of the organisation and had a real chance of building the team and culture in the building.

Levi’s & The Faithful

As a 49ers fan from the UK, you can imagine, the long nights watching the team during the losing years. When Garoppolo arrived, I remember my cousin in Canada emailing me and saying the 49ers have just got a Quarterback!

I remember Garry Radnich, from KNBR insisting that Kyle should just start him immediately and the excitement when listening to KNBR and the other beat writers when he arrived.

Garoppolo went onto start 5 games at the end of the 2017, 3 road games and the 49ers beat the Bears, Texans, and LA away from home, and Levi’s enjoyed two home wins against the Titans and Jaguars. Note, the Titans, were bound for the playoffs and they were an inform team, and the 49ers, in that game surprised most pundits and pulled off a 25-23 win.

When the York’s made the bold move to base the team in Santa Clara, rather than rebuild Candlestick, many fans and reporters questioned whether that was the best move. I was at Levi’s Stadium for Jim Harbaugh’s last game, I enjoyed the experience but sadly the stadium was near enough empty and lacked any soul.

The move to Levi’s was turning into a disaster. Jed York, then made a bold move and bought Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch in, to rebuild the hopes of the Franchise, but the team needed a home stadium that had energy and until Garoppolo arrived, we can safely say Levi’s was a failing project.

Garoppolo, rekindled for many fans, what the 49ers meant to them, the team had a Quarterback, who was debonair, and the fans were once again feeling great about being a 49ers fan again. The Faithful wanted to buy and wear Garoppolo jerseys and more importantly the Faithful started to return in numbers to Levi’s.

As a fan, when I next went to Levi’s for the playoff game against the Vikings, the stadium had transformed into arena that opposing teams would fear. You all will recall the “Bosa” chant that day, Levi’s had arrived. 

Back to Winning Again – It Feels Great Baby

One of my frustrations with comments and critics of Garoppolo is the fact he does not get the credit he deserves for changing the winning mentality of the team. His starting record for the 49ers is 31-14.

Over the course of these 5 years with Garoppolo’s tenure at the helm as starting Quarterback, the team have been to two NFC Championship games and a Superbowl. I have enjoyed two playoff trips personally, and we have seen the team beat Aaron Rogers twice in the playoffs, go to Dallas and win and came so close to winning a Superbowl.

All the players love Garoppolo, he is backed up by players like George Kittle, he does not showboat, he keeps a low key profile during the off season, he does not draw attention to himself and is ultimately a team player. All these attributes have led to the team changing its culture to now expecting to win, and huge amount of the credit for this change lays with Garoppolo.

 Conclusion

In writing this blog, I am a fan of the 49ers that has endured some tough years watching the team make some huge mistakes. I can safely safe that Jimmy Garoppolo has lit the candle and bought this franchise and fan base back alive again, yes, he may have had a few injuries (but players do not want to be injured), yes he has missed some throws, Joe and Steve did as well, but what he has done for the team, organisation and the Faithful far outweighs any of that.  A fan from the UK, I want to say thank you and I hope the Faithful also do!