San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo threw the simplest fourth rushing streak in franchise history in his first NFL season as a starter. He has played spectacularly in many regular season games. He even led his team to a division crown. Courtesy of its exciting last-minute performances, the Niners found themselves at the top of the NFC series.
Despite so many accomplishments, Garoppolo has been ranked fifth on the list of most pressured players this season. The list was published on the official NFL website. Columnist Adam Schein analyzed the success of the 49ers and concluded that the team’s success could not be entirely attributed to Jimmy Garoppolo, given the enormous talent on their list. In fact, Schein continued to call the Niners to be the “best single” in the entire NFL last season.
Is Jimmy Garoppolo ready to become an elite?
Speaking of Jimmy G’s chances of becoming an elite this season, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN’s “First Take” television show seemed negative. He is not convinced that Garoppolo is currently able to qualify as an elite.
He said, “No, please … I mean please why should I care? Think about what he did. He threw four combined yards of 208 yards in the two post-season games he played in the NFC. Okay, against Minnesota, and finally Green Bay. They just gave the ball to their ball carrier and just crushed these two opponents. That’s how he got to the Super Bowl. Then he came to the Super Bowl in the fourth quarter. When it matters most … you have a ten point lead and what does it do? What is 3 for 11 going for? 36 yards a fourth interception for a fourth-down bag.“
Smith then analyzed Jimmy G’s performance under pressure and at crucial times. He continued, “Jimmy G without pressure, zero pressure, 86% of his passes completed 199 yards, 119.5 passers-by. When under pressure, he completed 11% of his passes. For 20 yards, two interceptions in a bag with a passer rating of 0.0. His 2.8 passer score in the fourth quarter was the worst of the Superbowl by a quarter. Sending statistics along these lines began to be compiled in 1999. Everyone wants to talk about Jimmy G. Listen, this is not a scrub.“
What awaits Jimmy G?
It seems that the ESPN analyst does not want to bet on the future of Jimmy as an elite quarterback. But he is talented and could have more time to prove himself in pressure situations.
In the recent past, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan has expressed his full confidence in his quarterback. But frankly, with the collapse of the 49ers in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV, coupled with Garoppolo missing his throw to wide catcher Emmanuel Sanders, there is increasing pressure on the 28-year-old. This is why some experts wonder if the 49ers are ready to include Garoppolo in their long-term plans. Only time could answer them.
