Jimmy Garoppolo Discusses His Future with the 49ers
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo spoke to the Bay Area media Monday morning for perhaps his final time with the team. Here's what he said about his future with the franchise:
Q: Have the 49ers given you any assurances that you will in fact be returning in 2021?
GAROPPOLO: "Oh yeah, I honestly haven't put too much thought into it. All those things get said, but at the end of the day I'm a 49er. I'm here to play quarterback. I'm here to be the quarterback of this team. Everyday I go out there and try to prove that to my teammates and my coaches. And at the end of the day, that's what really matters. The people in this building, I love them. It's a great group to be around. John (Lynch) and Kyle (Shanahan), I think they've talked to the media and said what they've said, and I love those guys for it. This is where I want to be, and I love it here."
Q: Can you give us an update on your high-ankle sprain?
GAROPPOLO: "The ankle is doing good. We're in a good spot right now. It has progressed just the way I wanted it to, really. It's not at 100 percent, but it really is just about getting reps at this point, getting endurance back to it, durability and everything. I think once we do that, it will be in a good spot. I'm pretty happy with where I'm at."
Q: What do you have to do to get your body better prepared for the 2021 season?
GAROPPOLO: "It's all about being out there. It's all about availability. I know that. It has been a series of unfortunate events with the injuries, but one thing I'm excited about is getting ready for this offseason, getting the body back to where it needs to be for next season. There are so many things that I have in mind and have planned ready to go. I'm ready to attack this offseason."
Q: Do you feel like you came back from your high-ankle sprain too quickly?
GAROPPOLO: "Yeah. The first time, yeah. The first time I went two weeks without being out there, and I just don't like that feeling. I wasn't used to it. Just wanted to be out there with my guys. Maybe I rushed it, maybe I didn't, but I wouldn't change it."
Q: What did you learn from Richard Sherman while sitting next to him in the booth?
GAROPPOLO: "Especially these last couple games, we sat right next to each other and I really tried to pick his brain in a casual way. He's very insightful. Sherm is a very bright guy, obviously knows both sides of the ball. Just talking schematics, scheme, whatever it is, he has a very interesting outlook on it. Honestly, I told him this yesterday at the game, I was like, 'Dude, I've learned so much just in these last couple weeks of talking to you. Because as a quarterback, you think you know defenses and you think you know what they're thinking, but now you talk to a corner who has been doing it for so long, it was very insightful. I learned a lot. Sherm is one of my favorite teammates I've ever been with. He's one of those guys you love to be around, love his attitude and how he comes in everyday. He's one of a kind. That was pretty much what we were trying to do up there."
Q: Where do you need to improve for 2021?
GAROPPOLO: "I'll make a list of goals for myself, whether it's work on my accuracy, work on intermediate throws, but the durability is No. 1 right now. So we'll attack that. As long as the ankle is good, I think we'll be in a good spot. We have some good players. If keep everyone healthy and have a good offseason, I think we'll be in a good spot for next season."
