Fifty-seven quarterbacks started at least one NFL regular-season game during the 2019 season. Each week, NFL.com would rank the starting quarterbacks within its QB Index. Now, with the season over, the league's official site decided to rank all 57 of those quarterbacks in one final QB Index, which was published on Tuesday.
Unwilling to create a little controversy, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs tied for No. 1 on the list. Jackson was named the league's Most Valuable Player while Mahomes took home a more prestigious prize — the Vince Lombardi Trophy — to go along with being named the Super Bowl LIV MVP.
What about the quarterback he beat in that big game — Jimmy Garoppolo? Where did the San Francisco 49ers signal-caller fall on the list?
Garoppolo was ranked as the No. 15 starting quarterback in the NFL this past season, one spot below Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. The 49ers quarterback completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 3,978 yards with 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions on the way to a 13-3 regular-season record and a 15-4 record, including the playoffs. His passing yards total ranks fourth all-time in franchise history.
Here is what NFL.com editor, Tom Blair, wrote about Garoppolo:
"Jimmy G was mostly solid in his first full season as a starter, but even as someone who wants to give him the benefit of the doubt, I have to admit that it's not exactly encouraging that his best playoff performance featured eight total passes, or that he was 3 for 11 for 36 yards with 0 TDs and a pick while the Niners' 10-point lead collapsed in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV."
Garoppolo prepares to enter his seventh NFL season and received a vote of confidence from his head coach last week, after already saying his quarterback was close to being named the Super Bowl LIV MVP himself.
"I think Jimmy is one of the main reasons we got to the Super Bowl," Kyle Shanahan said. "I think he overcame a lot. This was his first year in his career going through an entire NFL season. He still doesn't have as many starts and stuff as (Browns QB) Baker Mayfield.
"I think he had a hell of a first year truly playing the position, especially coming off an ACL where you have to fight through that a ton as a quarterback, where your rhythm and everything is not there at the beginning of the year. For him to be like that and to not let the pressure get to him, and to improve as the year went, I think says a ton about Jimmy.
"I can't tell you how much I loved coaching the guy as a player and as a person this year."
Two NFC West quarterbacks ranked above Garoppolo in the season-ending QB Index. Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks came in at No. 3 while Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals, coming off his rookie campaign, ranked at No. 13. Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams is listed at No. 20.
