“Go Ask Him What He Meant”: 49ers Kyle Shanahan Sounds Off on Controversial Jimmy Garoppolo Statement on ‘Feeling Free Like 2017’
Jimmy Garoppolo, who replaced an injured Trey on Sunday, was tremendously effective through just over three-quarters of play. Furthermore, the 49ers quarterback was completing throws downfield in a manner reminiscent of his five-game stint as San Francisco’s starter to close out the previous campaign.
Jimmy Garoppolo controversially said that he felt freer on the field than he has in years, extending all the way back to 2017. After earning his first victory as the San Francisco 49ers’ starting quarterback way back in January. Since then, Garoppolo’s sweet spot has largely remained within the numbers when he isn’t utilizing the superb run game of the 49ers, but even he said after Sunday’s victory over the Seattle Seahawks that it felt familiar and that he appreciated it.
Well, as his words make plain, Kyle Shanahan wasn’t all that thrilled to read the statements, much less be questioned about them during his Friday media availability.
Kyle Shanahan gives his thought on Jimmy Garoppolo quote
“You’d have to ask him what he meant by that,” Shanahan told reporters.
“There was no difference in that game than every game, so you can ask him on that. It was probably just going in when the game plan is for someone else and just coming off and winging it and going with it. That’s what I would guess, but it sounds like that’s a question for him.”
Honestly, at that point, bringing up Jimmy Garoppolo should have definitely been off the table. Fortunately for everyone but Shanahan, though, someone did so anyway and received a response he presumably didn’t anticipate. The plays that have been called for Garoppolo throughout the years certainly tell a tale when it comes to the stats.
According to Pro Football Reference, he attempted 21 passes against the Seahawks on Sunday, with an average distance of 8.3 targeted air yards per attempt.
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