One often overlooked aspect of Jimmy Garoppolo's NFL resume is that he owns two Super Bowl rings. While Saturday will be the San Francisco 49ers quarterback's first playoff start, Garoppolo knows what it means to be in this position. His former team, the New England Patriots, was a postseason regular.
For Garoppolo, Saturday is just another game. The stakes are just much higher. A loss now means your season is over.
"If you lose, you're done, which is a weird feeling," All-Pro tight end George Kittle told reporters on Tuesday. "We haven't had that one yet. I think the whole team has done a really good job of handling their business this week. ... Everyone is on top of their stuff, everyone has been in their books. We're just excited to play football on Saturday."
Added Kittle: "Every primetime game, [Garoppolo] shows up, plays well. He's just going to do him and play really well. I just have that expectation of him. I have all the confidence in the world in him."
Head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked what his message was to Garoppolo this week.
"Just be you," he responded. "Do the same thing you do every single day. I didn't give him a big message this week. I just talked to him the same way I have every other week."
Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders reminded reporters that, despite the lack of playing experience, Garoppolo already knows how to handle himself when it comes to the playoffs.
"You know how many Super Bowl rings that guy's got? He knows," Sanders said. "He knows what it takes to go all the way and win it all. He's seen the preparation from one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. At the end of the day, he understands the process."
Shanahan also discussed the benefits of having a quarterback who has gone through three playoff runs before.
"I think that's one of the bigger things," Shanahan said. "Jimmy just going and being able to go to those Super Bowls, watch those playoff games, being able to go through the whole process and stuff. You do see all the extra outside stuff that comes with it, so you're not overwhelmed by it at all.
"Jimmy knows exactly what's going to happen before it happens because he's been through it at New England, and I do think that's an advantage for players and for coaches, just because you know what's ahead, and so it doesn't surprise you. So it's pretty easy to just stay the course."
