Has Jimmy Garoppolo Improved?
In this story:
It feels like déjà vu.
We're halfway through the 49ers season, and Jimmy Garoppolo is playing the best football of his career -- at least, that's the narrative. Analysts say he turned a corner, figured something out, finally improved and now he's going to lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl victory.
Didn't everyone say that last season, too?
Doesn't Garoppolo always build up expectations only to disappoint you?
So far this season, Garoppolo has appeared in nine games, completed 179 of 267 passes (67 percent), and thrown for 2,159 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. Good numbers.
Last season in Garoppolo's first nine games, he completed 170 of 254 passes (66.9 percent), and threw for 2,112 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. Those are almost the same exact numbers he has posted through nine games this season. So no, Garoppolo has not improved -- he's back to performing the way he did last season. And we know how that ended. He injured his thumb and his shoulder in December and struggled in the playoffs and the 49ers fell short of the Super Bowl.
Garoppolo has proven that he can play well for stretches. He has not proven he can play consistently or stay healthy for an entire season. The only time he made it through a full season was 2019, and yet he still played poorly in the playoffs that year even though he was completely healthy.
For Garoppolo to truly improve, he'll have to stay healthy and finish strong for the first time in his career.
Let's see how he plays in late December and January.
