Jimmy Garoppolo: 3 reasons why 49ers QB makes Pro Bowl in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: Jimmy Garoppolo will (hopefully) have a healthy 49ers offense
Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t great in 2020 even when he was on the field, which was for only six games anyway.
But it’s important to at least acknowledge he was struggling behind a patchwork offensive line, missing most of his key offensive playmakers and was generally short of legitimate pass-catching targets for much of that time.
Just consider these starters who missed time, too, last year:
- TE George Kittle — eight games missed
- RB Raheem Mostert — eight games missed
- WR Deebo Samuel — nine games missed
- WR Brandon Aiyuk — four games missed
- LT Trent Williams — two games missed
- C Weston Richburg — 16 games missed
Let’s not piss off the football injury gods here. But the Niners were unfairly treated in the injury department, Garoppolo included.
Back in 2019, when San Francisco was relatively healthy, Garoppolo was clearly much more effective, completing 69.1 percent of his passes, 27 touchdowns, tying for first in the league with four fourth-quarter comebacks and tossing 3,978 total passing yards — the latter ranking fourth best all-time in a single season in franchise history.
Those numbers weren’t enough to get Garoppolo to a Pro Bowl that year. But if he adds the anger factor, some hyped-up intensity and, let’s say, cuts down on the interceptions a bit, a Pro Bowl nod could be within reach.
Especially if the 49ers want to maximize his trade value.