Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is a polarizing figure among the San Francisco 49ers fan base. He has been since the fourth-quarter collapse in Super Bowl LIV. The team flirted with Tom Brady after that heartbreaking loss. This year, reports linked the 49ers to nearly every quarterback rumored to be available. Garoppolo's head coach, Kyle Shanahan, even went on a podcast and admitted he was frustrated about missing out on Matthew Stafford, who the Detroit Lions traded to the division-rival Los Angeles Rams.
Then, the Niners traded up in the draft to select Trey Lance at No. 3 overall.
Garoppolo remains the starter, and Lance is his backup. However, the outside noise hasn't slowed. Luckily for Garoppolo, it is easier to ignore during the season.
"Honestly, the toughest part was the offseason, going into training camp," Garoppolo told Damon Bruce and Ray Ratto on 95.7 The Game. "And then, honestly, once we got to the season, and started playing actual games, it just became a lot easier.
"I'm doing great right now. We got this win this past week so that always makes this week a little better. But I'd say overall, I'm doing great. I'm in a good spot mentally, physically. I'm where I want to be, and we're just going to try to keep this thing rolling right now, and just stay in a good spot."
The trade deadline passed on Tuesday. That generated more chatter. Some speculated that the 49ers might try to move Garoppolo, ushering in the start of the Lance era. That didn't happen. Garoppolo will remain with San Francisco for at least the rest of the season. He admits, though, that he was "ready for anything."
"The noise that you're talking about, whether you played good, bad, or indifferent, that noise is always going to be there," Garoppolo said. "It's just kind of something that comes with the territory, I guess. You've got to embrace it, in a way. It's when people aren't talking about you, that's when you're really in trouble. Then you're not too important at that point."
While Garoppolo is focused on this season, the Arizona Cardinals to be specific, he sees the writing on the wall. The 49ers invested a lot to acquire Lance. The team has struggled this season. How does Garoppolo see the situation? Frustrating? Motivating?
"There's a number of different words," Garoppolo admits. "But at the end of the day, as the noise is going on, people are saying whatever, at the end of the day, I'm a winner, and I'm going out there to win the game. Whatever that takes, I'm willing to do it."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Garoppolo below.