Jimmy Garoppolo Was Asked Whether Becoming Backup Is a Blow to His Ego

After months of trade talk, Jimmy Garoppolo is returning to the 49ers as the team’s backup quarterback. In the end, the 49ers couldn’t find a suitable trade partner for Garoppolo, so the team restructured his contract to have him return in 2022. However, Trey Lance will still take over as the starter, despite Garoppolo starting for the past 4.5 seasons.

While Garoppolo will not start, that doesn’t seem to be bothering him too much. On Thursday, Garoppolo was asked whether being demoted to a backup would be a hit to his ego, and the 49ers quarterback brushed it off.

“If that’s gonna take a blow to your ego, you gotta check your ego a little bit,” he said. “You’ve got to know who you are in this league, who you are as a player, who you are as a person, and I think that’s got to carry you a long way.”

Garoppolo has been a backup before, having played behind Tom Brady in New England from 2014 to ’17. However, since then he has led the 49ers to two NFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearance.

In his new deal, Garoppolo has a no-trade clause that will help him have a choice in where he plays next if San Francisco decides to trade him mid-season. For now, though, he will be a veteran insurance policy for a 49ers team with high expectations.

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