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Sometimes it seems as though no one associated with the San Francisco 49ers can
escape a single interview without being asked about Jimmy Garoppolo's future. Within the organization, there seems to be a lot of confidence in the quarterback. Outside of the organization, critics and fans are trying to find ways to replace him.
Both head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have offered
votes of confidence in Garoppolo this week. On Wednesday, it was tight end
George Kittle's turn to do so ... for the
second consecutive day.
A day after joining KNBR and expressing his confidence that Garoppolo returns in 2021, Kittle joined 95.7 The Game and was once again asked about his quarterback's future. Why is Garoppolo the quarterback who will get the 49ers back to another Super Bowl?
"Well, I know John Lynch and Coach Shanahan both came on and said Jimmy's our guy, so I put my faith in those two guys because I think they've made some incredible decisions since they've been with the Niners," Kittle told Nick Friedell and Sean Salisbury. "I know just from personal experience, Jimmy's a guy that, he attacks every single day. Whether he has a bad game or a great game, he comes in the next day the same guy, and he brings guys with him, and he just does that on a consistent basis. He never points fingers. He always shoulders the blame.
"I think being the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers comes with a pretty high expectation. And I think, like you said, when he plays good, people love him, and then he has maybe a bad throw, people want to throw him under the bus, and I think that's crazy because there's a lot of limelight with being the starting quarterback for the Niners and, like I said, a lot of expectations. I think he handles it all at an incredibly high level.
"And like I said, he brings guys with him. He expects greatness from his teammates, and when he's on the field, guys play at a high level. I think I've talked about his leadership abilities more than enough times, and I just think, like John and Kyle said, he's our quarterback, and he's the guy who's going to be leading us back to the Super Bowl."
Kittle adds that he knows what it takes to be a good football player, and that's one reason he believes in Garoppolo. Of course, in the NFL, things don't always work out how you think they should. Is Garoppolo the 49ers quarterback next season?
"Yes, I do believe that," Kittle responded.
Kittle was allowed to address the fans who are leaning toward the 49ers finding another option at quarterback. What does the tight end want to say to them?
"My answer as a football player is, that's why we're football players and people watching aren't," Kittle said. "And I think just the fact that he went to the Super Bowl a year after tearing his ACL and played the way that he did and the level that he played at.
"And I'm not for if a guy has one good season and he can't play well again, I understand that, but Jimmy throws an incredible ball and he has all the other qualities you want in a starting quarterback, and so that's what I have to say about that.
"I don't think we get to the Super Bowl without him. If you take his name off his win-loss record and you compare him to when he's not playing, I don't know how you don't pick his record over the latter."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Kittle below.
The news of Arik Armstead's departure from the San Francisco 49ers after nine seasons with the team shocked linebacker Fred Warner. Armstead, a former first-round pick, was an impactful force on the football field. However, his availability over the last two seasons forced the 49ers to reevaluate his contract, and when his salary could not be significantly reduced, the two sides parted ways.
"Huge surprise," Warner said of learning that Armstead was being released. "Ever since I've been here, we called him the blueprint for how to be a Niner. That was the longest-tenured Niner that's been here and a guy that's done it right through and through."
Warner has been in the NFL long enough to understand how the league works. Over the years, he's watched several
Austin Jones, the running back who spent three seasons with Stanford and the past two with USC, was among the 44 players in attendance at the San Francisco 49ers local pro day on April 10. Justin Melo of The Draft Network reports that the Bay Area team is keeping tabs on the Pac-12 standout.
After attending #Raiders, #49ers and
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
