The San Francisco 49ers kicked off their first practice of training camp today. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo spoke with reporters after the players came off the field. Here is everything he had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
How did the first day go?
"I mean, there's always, you know, those first-day jitters, excitement having fans out there, I'm a huge fan of that. It was good to get back to some normalcy, I guess."
TE George Kittle said yesterday that he saw a different fire in you in OTAs and WR Deebo Samuel just said you've seemed a little bit more locked in and more energy in the huddle. Can you speak to that a little bit?
"I don't know. It's a good thing that they're seeing that. I'm just trying to be myself, be consistent every day is really what I try to be. And yeah, I mean, it's like every year it's a big year, but you know, we've got an opportunity to do something special and I'm excited about that."
Head coach Kyle Shanahan was also very complimentary of your OTA performance saying that you were sharp, aggressive. How do you take that and carry it over into training camp?
"Having a good summer. I think that was the first step, pretty happy with how it went and to get back here it seems like guys had a very productive summer and there's just the energy right now. I've said this in the past before, but you can tell when our group is locked in and when they're focused and, you know, it transfers over to the field. And so I thought it was a good first day today, but got to go have a good walk-thru tonight and just keep it rolling throughout camp."
When you get done with your reps, how curious are you to see what QB Trey Lance is doing?
"It's more about getting the mental reps for just looking at the defense and things like that. I'm always pulling for Trey, pulling for all the QBs, [QB] Nate [Sudfeld], [QB] Josh [Rosen], but you're trying to get the mental reps of what the defense is doing and talk to your guys on what you just went through with your plays and all that stuff."
He isn't experienced, but he does some impressive stuff. He's talented. Do you feel like he brings out the best of you on the field?
"You know, I try to do that myself. It's, I've been around for a little while. I sound old saying that, but if you don't push yourself, then you've got no chance in this game. So, I mean, if you rely on outside forces to motivate you, it's going to be tough, but at the end of the day I'm as motivated as it gets."
With this offseason, you know, obviously your team has made no secret that, you know, they had eyes for Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson, Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford, they traded up to number three. What do you expect from your team, your coaches, as far as, what do you require for support? Like what do you want to see? What do you want to hear from them?
"I don't know, honestly, I haven't put too much thought into that. I think our coaches are, they're very unique in the sense that they're going to put you in a great position, every play to be successful. And I've been on, you know, I've been fortunate to be around some good coaches who always do that, but that's not the case in lots teams around the league. And so to have the coaching staff that we have, I'm very fortunate. I think our team is very fortunate and it's you know, at the end of the day, we're out there playing football and you just want them to put you in a good position."
What will it take for you to avoid whatever potential awkwardness there could be with Trey, given that, you know, given the situation?
"I don't know what you're talking about awkwardness, but no it's me and Trey, we've had a good relationship. We really have. It's a, it's sort of one of those things. It is what it is. This business is weird, but you know, at the end of the we're in that locker room, we're around each other so much that, you know, it's just business."
You've alluded to the past to kind of letting that grow organically a little bit over the summer. Did you over the summer seek out any other quarterbacks or talk to other quarterbacks who may have been in similar situations and if so, who?
"I didn't really seek anyone out. I think just from having talked to guys, being around the league for a little while and having, you know, I was in a similar situation in New England. So you see those things firsthand, you see it you know, playing out in the media throughout other teams and things like that. And you know, at the end of the day, it's football. And so you've just got to go out there and, you know, enjoy it. It's not going to be around forever and so enjoy it while you can."
FB Kyle Juszczyk just said that he was really impressed with your off-schedule plays today. Is that a part of your game that you've focused on in any way this offseason?
"I wouldn't say I focused on it. I think the understanding of the offense when a play breaks down and you know that this original play wasn't didn't work or whatever it is, it just didn't work out the way you thought it was. I think having knowledge of the offense and knowing where guys are and where they should be after the play breaks down, if that makes any sense, I think that's helped me. And so I wouldn't say it was a focus, but I think it just comes with knowledge of the offense."
It looked like one of those plays was to WR Brandon Aiyuk. Did you work out with him at all of this offseason away from here? I saw you did that with some guys and just what's the trust and confidence factor with him right now?
"We didn't get a chance to summer. It didn't really work out, but the trust factor with me and B is it's been awesome. It really has. Started from, I mean when he first got here, we had a good OTAs together. He's just one of those guys, his body language, it allows me to anticipate throws. So we had a couple of them today. The breakdown in the play that you're talking about, honestly, there wasn't even, usually as a quarterback, you got point them where you want him. And he just, he broke literally when I broke, when we escaped the pocket together, it was kind of weird, but it's just guys like that when you can trust them with their body language, [WR] Mohamed [Sanu Sr.] had a couple plays today like that. It just it gives you confidence as a quarterback, I guess."
Yesterday, T Trent Williams said, maybe he was exaggerating, I don't know that your ankle was like an inch away from being torn off or however we rephrased it. It sounded in his words, worse than we thought. Was there some really major, serious issues with that ankle that maybe weren't discussed?
"Oh yeah. That was pretty bad. Surgery was debated. But whenever I could avoid that, I'm going to do that. So, you know, it's we all go through it, all these guys. I mean, we're all battling injuries and shit like that. It's part of the game, but the ankle has been feeling great. Honestly, it really has. So I'm happy about that surgery.
Did you need another surgery?
"Well, surgery for the ankle. I've had a surgery on the knee, but we avoided the one for the ankle, fortunately."
What's it been like to have quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello back in terms of just the comfortability?
"It's been great. Rich was here when I first got here, made me very comfortable with the offense back then and he's done the exact same now. He gets the QB position and I love him for that, love being around him, the energy he brings every day. It's a lot fun."
Deebo mentioned that Sanu has a Buffalo Bills WR Emmanuel Sanders-like impact on the receivers and on their attention to detail. Have you noticed the same thing from Sanu?
"Definitely. Yeah. I'd never, I didn't even think about that, but it is very similar. Just the attention to detail Mo brings is very unique in the receiver position. Emmanuel was the same way. And I wouldn't say we have a young receiver core, but just you know, inexperienced, I guess, but having his experience around and hearing him talk to guys it's really cool. Yeah, it's very similar to Emmanuel."
You didn't get much time with him last year, but comparing maybe to where he was physically then to what you see out there now, how much further along is he?
"Yeah. He's, he's looking good, man. I mean excuse the language, but he really is. He came in ready. It's been a lot of fun this first day and I'm looking forward to rest of camp with him."
What was the biggest thing you did in the offseason physically, and then also just for injury, did you focus on a certain area of the game and then as far as injury maintenance, how does that work as well?
"A lot just quarterback stuff, honestly. It wasn't so much weight room stuff. It was more on the field, QB throwing, you know, just things that a quarterback does. And I think I feel good right now. I'm pretty happy with where I'm at and you know, we've got a little ways to go with training camp still, but we're in a good spot."
The expectation is that at some point someday Trey Lance is going to replace you. And so probably having this sense of that, where is the line? Like do you go and say hey Trey when you did this, you know, you really shouldn't be doing that. It's like, how much of a mentor can you be? Should you be, is there a line there?
"I know what you're saying. Honestly I try not to put too much thought into that. Like the specifics of it. I think that stuff just comes naturally. And it's not like I would ever hold something away from him. You know, I don't want to tell him this type of thing. It's just, when you let it happen organically, and that's what kind of we've done. I think that's when it's at its most natural and you can really build a normal relationship between two people. And so it's yeah, I wouldn't want to, I don't want to draw a line anywhere or anything like that, but anything he needs, I'm willing to help him. I think Nate and Josh are the same way. We've got good group, good room right now in the QBs and it's fun to be around."