Jimmy Garoppolo, Kyle Shanahan probably don’t like each other

Jimmy Garoppolo probably saw his relationship with Kyle Shanahan sour some time ago, but the 49ers could be witnessing tension coming to a head.

Frustrations tend to boil over a bit more for struggling teams than teams enjoying success. And for the 1-2 San Francisco 49ers, who currently are tied for having the fourth-worst offense over that span to kick off the 2022 season, it’s understandable why there may be some notable headaches.

Particularly between two of the team’s key figureheads, head coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

There have been some hints at the possible tension between these two already this season. In Garoppolo’s Week 2 press conference after entering in relief of now out-for-the-year quarterback Trey Lance, Jimmy G told reporters the following in the wake of a one-sided win over the Seattle Seahawks where he apparently had the “freedom to improvise”:

"I love doing that stuff. In [2017], there was a freedom where me, the receivers, tight ends, we had a good chemistry going. And when you get that with offensive skills and a quarterback, it makes for a tough offense."

A veiled shot at Shanahan for containing him? Possibly. Maybe not. It’s hard to say.

Yet Shanahan ultimately had to respond to that statement later the following week, telling KNBR 680 (h/t 49ers Webzone), “There’s no such thing as, ‘Hey, I feel like winging it this year. I feel like going deep this year. I feel like going short this year. I feel like running the ball this year.’ It doesn’t work that way.”

Now, in the wake of Garoppolo’s awful performance in an 11-10 Week 3 loss to the Denver Broncos under the bright prime-time lights of Sunday Night Football, another bit of evidence is suggesting Garoppolo isn’t overly thrilled with Shanahan’s play-calling.

The clip, which you can see here, apparently shows Garoppolo mouthing “your plays suck, man” or “draw plays suck, man.”

Again, context is key. The Niners offense was struggling to get much of anything going.

However, going back and watching the film, it’s not hard to find opportunities that were there for Garoppolo, including a fully uncovered wide receiver in Deebo Samuel, who if Garoppolo had seen and thrown his way, would have waltzed into the end zone for an easy touchdown.

Still, that probably doesn’t change the likelihood that both Garoppolo and Shanahan are sick of each other.

Why Jimmy Garoppolo, Kyle Shanahan don’t like each other

Neither Garoppolo nor Shanahan would publicly come out and say this. That’s a little too far, especially when they both are employed by the same team.

However, it’s not hard to read between the lines.

Shanahan went all out during the 2021 offseason to replace Garoppolo, and the obvious piece of evidence is the aggressive NFL Draft trade-up that landed Lance as the veteran’s heir.

But that wasn’t the only attempt.

Earlier, Shanahan had discussed with Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur whether or not they’d make future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers available via trade, only to be rebuffed by LaFleur despite all kinds of speculation Rodgers would be on the move. Additionally, Shanahan spoke with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay on McVay’s own podcast about how LA acquired quarterback Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions.

Shanahan didn’t hide his frustration at not being able to acquire Stafford for San Francisco, and you can listen to that below:

All the while, Garoppolo was sitting there knowing fully well his head coach was trying to replace him.

And not just because Garoppolo carried with him an injury-prone reputation, although him missing the bulk of 2020 because of ankle injuries didn’t help matters either.

Related Story: Jimmy Garoppolo play vs. Broncos isn’t the only ugly part of 49ers loss in Week 3

From Garoppolo’s perspective, it’s understandable why he’d be upset with Shanahan. After all, he’s gone from being at the helm of a serious Super Bowl contender into a lame-duck quarterback, proverbially “holding the fort” for Lance and all under the public eye.

Tack on the 49ers’ offseason efforts to trade Jimmy G, albeit unsuccessfully, and it’s not hard to see why Garoppolo would be frustrated with his head coach.

True, Garoppolo could have demanded a release earlier this offseason amid the trade speculation. However, the fact no trade materialized despite Garoppolo’s camp receiving permission to seek one out suggests the quarterback already knew his value on the open market was minimal.

From his vantage point, it might have been better to accept the Niners’ reworked contract to stick around under Shanahan a little longer rather than being unemployed.

Even if it led to what is some apparent tension right now.

Granted, winning can serve as the medication for all of this, and a few games in which Garoppolo and the San Francisco offense look far more cohesive and potent would probably put a few more smiles on everyone’s faces.

Even if Garoppolo and Shanahan secretly aren’t the best of friends.