Jimmy Garoppolo: Why new 49ers quarterback is making all the difference

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HOUSTON, TX – DECEMBER 10: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with general manager John Lynch after the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on December 10, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

What the 49ers Are Saying

It’s one thing to go out on the field and deliver. It’s another to secure the respect within the locker room.

Jimmy Garoppolo appears to have done both, and it might not have always been the case. Hindsight gives us the answer, but there could have been a slight rift after C.J. Beathard delivered the team’s first victory back in Week 10 versus the New York Giants. The rookie quarterback took his licks this season and played with guts, earning respect all the way.

So why toss that aside and hand it to the proverbial “new kid in town?”

Well, winning solves a lot. And it never hurts to have a ringing endorsement from head coach Kyle Shanahan (h/t Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News):

Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who has had three at-or-near 100-yard games during Garoppolo’s starting time, was equally complimentary, per Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle:

"He’s just very in tune with everybody. It’s crazy. I don’t think I’ve ever played with anybody like him. If you look, my route, it may have been a good route and it may have not, but I don’t have to run a perfect route."

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It doesn’t end there.

“I knew he was a great player; we all did,” offensive guard Brandon Fusco said, via Eric Branch of SFGate.com. “We didn’t know he was this special.”

And if those remarks won’t convince you, these semi-anonymous ones should:

From a #49ers player on Jimmy Garoppolo:

"He is the leader right now. It’s not just on the offense, it’s the whole team."
— Chris Biderman (@ChrisBiderman) December 13, 2017

One #49ers player on Jimmy Garoppolo:

“He’s freaking ridiculous. He’s amazing.”

Another player:

“What did I tell you? We’ve got a quarterback.”
— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) December 18, 2017

The Niners now have two games left in the 2017 season, and there hasn’t been as much buzz about a 4-10 team in quite some time.

Garoppolo has made a huge difference in how the 49ers and their fans view the upcoming campaign. Rather than worrying about how the ongoing rebuild will take its crucial next steps, we can instead focus on San Francisco crossing off the biggest need.

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And if this same trend continues next season, 2018 should be a great year for Niners football with Garoppolo under center.