San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo didn't wow his critics during his 2019 regular-season debut on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Some even wondered if the 49ers might make a quarterback change, should Garoppolo struggle down the stretch.
It sounds like people are trying to create a quarterback controversy where there really isn't one.
General manager John Lynch joined 95.7 The Game on Thursday morning and was asked about a potential switch to backup Nick Mullens and how long of a leash Garoppolo has.
"I think those are other people's opinions," Lynch said on the "Joe, Lo and Dibs" show. "I can tell you, we do think really highly of Nick Mullens. We think very highly of C.J. Beathard, as well. But we've got a lot of belief in Jimmy Garoppolo, and Jimmy's our quarterback.
"Was it perfect the other day? No. But I think he brings a lot to the table, and our team has a lot of belief in him, and we certainly do. And we're working hard to try to go out there and be cleaner as a team, and Jimmy is as well. He is our quarterback right now, and we're very happy that's the case."
Lynch acknowledged that there was some rust in Garoppolo's debut. The quarterback is, after all, returning to the field nearly a year after suffering a season-ending ACL injury. The coaching staff eased Garoppolo back into action throughout the offseason, first only having him take part in seven-on-seven drills during the offseason program, and then clearing him for team drills during training camp.
"He played a little bit in the preseason," Lynch continued. "But then, playing an entire game was going to be an adjustment. I think, all things considered, we're really pleased with Jimmy, most of all because we came out 1-and-0. I think Jimmy will agree there are some things he left out on the field and is working hard to fix those going forward because we know we'll have to play better as a team to get where we want to get."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below.