For about five or six months, the 49ers' quarterback situation was the talk of the town.
After San Francisco selected Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, it was clear that a change was coming ... at some point.
From day one, coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch were committed to starting Jimmy Garoppolo, despite plenty of outside pressure to start the rookie. The 49ers stuck with Garoppolo, through thick and thin, and his professionalism throughout the regular season was commendable.
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SIGN UP HERE Shanahan believes that Garoppolo's positive attitude throughout the situation played an integral role in creating an open and honest work environment.
“A ton," Shanahan told reporters Monday. "That is the reality we're at. It's been that way for a while since we made that trade and the more that we all can accept it and know it and not beat around the bush, the easier it is to go on with your jobs. And that's what we've all done and we've all enjoyed each other as people, we all respect the hell of each other in our profession. And I think it's just allowed everyone to move on and be themselves. And I think throughout the year, that's allowed him to get better, it's allowed our team to get better, it's allowed me to get better and focus on what we should focus on and just trying to be as good at our jobs as we can.”
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Currently, the 49ers' focus is on Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams. To his credit, the veteran quarterback has blocked out the noise, helping lead San Francisco to another deep playoff run.
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Whether or not Garoppolo will remain with the team next season remains to be seen. The 49ers will cross that bridge when they get there and they're hoping to make that decision after a Super Bowl LVI victory