No matter who is under center, the 49ers' locker room is unified as a team, even in the quarterbacks room.
After Trey Lance walked off the Levi's Stadium field following the 49ers' 23-7 win over the Houston Texans, the rookie spoke about Jimmy Garoppolo’s consistent support. The veteran has helped the rookie adjust to life in the NFL as well as Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
On Monday, Shanahan spoke about the positive relationship between the two quarterbacks and how that has helped the offense avoid skipping a beat with a personnel change twice this season.
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SIGN UP HERE “I think the most important thing is that neither of them really have to try to do anything,” Shanahan said via conference call. “They are both themselves to each other. I think it helps that they both genuinely like each other, respect each other and they are two good guys.”
The 49ers' locker room is known for being very close. Even players that have joined the roster midseason have remarked how welcoming of an environment it has been, which has fostered immediate production from new arrivals.
When the 49ers traded for Emmanuel Sanders in the middle of the 2019 season, the veteran wideout was very open regarding how surprising the locker room was. It was not a gradual warming-up period as players got used to each other -- it was immediate brotherhood.
That same “I’ve got your back” mentality lives in the 49ers' locker room now, while making the playoffs is the single most important goal for the entire building. Shanahan sees that with his quarterbacks even when who when starter is in question.
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“Neither is trying to hate on each other or do anything shady to one another,” Shanahan said. “We spend a lot of time together and those dudes -- I knew Jimmy before I knew Trey and Jimmy has been the same guy all along since he’s been here and still continues to be. Trey has handles it very well too.”
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Who will start at quarterback for the 49ers against the Los Angeles Rams in the massively important regular-season finale still is to be determined, but one that is certain -- both Garoppolo and Lance will support each other in any scenario.