Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo went into Sunday's matchup against the Chicago Bears getting ready to start his first game with the San Francisco 49ers. He left the game with his first win with the 49ers thanks to a Robbie Gould game-winning field goal in the closing seconds.
Soldier Field sits about 30 miles from his hometown of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Garoppolo finished the game completing 26 of his 37 pass attempts for 293 yards and an interception. Those probably aren't exactly the numbers he hoped to display in front of his friends and family (although, the interception wasn't entirely his fault), but it was a solid performance for his first start in a new system, and his new team came away with the victory.
"I tried to say all week that it was just a normal game but, obviously, I've never come back to Chicago like this," Garoppolo said after the game. "It's exciting. I had a ton of people here today. It was one of the more fun games I've been a part of."
What did Garoppolo's head coach think of his first outing in a 49ers uniform?
"I thought it was a real good first start," Kyle Shanahan said. "(He) handled the offense well. Definitely moved the chains and moved the ball well for us. It will be fun to get back (to Santa Clara) and watch the tape. When you go through this stuff, now it's nice to be able to coach off of this stuff. It will give him a chance to get much better. Went through the whole process through the week and just what it's like being in our scheme and the starting quarterback.
"And now he has a game to really learn from. What was good? What was bad? It makes it more fun going into next week with him."
WR Louis Murphy on Jimmy Garoppolo: "Her took command of the huddle. He took command of the offense." #49ers
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) December 3, 2017
Garoppolo has been working hard to learn his new offense since being traded from the New England Patriots to the 49ers on October 30. How comfortable was he with what was asked of him this week?
"This is the most confident I've been since I've gotten here, for sure," Garoppolo said. "And I think every week it will just get easier and easier. We'll start putting more things in, adding to the repertoire and everything. I think we're moving in the right direction."
The 49ers' next game will be on December 10 against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.