
Jimmy Garoppolo spent three-and-a-half seasons as Tom Brady's backup quarterback in New England. Over that span, the 49ers' current QB appeared in only 17 games, starting two.
Still, he learned plenty behind the six-time Super Bowl winner.
More than anything, Garoppolo witnessed the immense amount of preparation Brady put into his game every day. Garoppolo recently told The Ringer's Kevin Clark that it was "invaluable" to watch the legendary signal-caller as his backup.
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"I can barely put it into words. What you learn is playing the game within the game, that’s a big part of Tom," Garoppolo said. "I don’t even know if he told me that [directly], but he would always talk about the game within the game."
The story has been told time and time again. Brady beat the odds years ago as a sixth-round draft pick who ran the 40-yard dash in quicksand. Garoppolo emphasized that sweating the small stuff made Brady a Patriots legend and an all-time great.
"The little details and how he ties them all together -- that’s what separates you," Garoppolo said.
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The two QBs have remained friends after Garoppolo was traded to the 49ers on Halloween in 2017. They were even seen together at the Kentucky Derby this year.
As much knowledge as Garoppolo soaked up from Brady, the 49ers hope it shows in a healthy year this season.