The transition from Trey Lance back to Jimmy Garoppolo has not been difficult for the San Francisco 49ers. Teammates are familiar with Garoppolo, who had been the Niners' starting quarterback since the final handful of games of the 2017 season.
Garoppolo returned this season in a backup role. However, lance's season-ending injury (head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed today that it was indeed season-ending) has thrust the veteran quarterback back into the starting lineup.
A reporter asked one 49ers player about the transition from Lance to Garoppolo.
"I just want to start with I don't want to downplay how much we feel for Trey," fullback Kyle Juszczyk said in the locker room before Wednesday's practice. "That was our guy. We wish he was still out here doing his thing, but it's been a good transition. And granted, it's been like two days, so from what we've experienced so far, it's been good and seamless. I mean, Jimmy's been our quarterback here. This is like his sixth year, so you would expect him to be familiar and know what we're doing."
When players learned that Garoppolo would return for another season, some were shocked. After all, everyone assumed the quarterback would play elsewhere in 2022. Garoppolo wasn't practicing with the team, wasn't attending meetings, and didn't even have a playbook in his hands until after the 49ers' last preseason game.
Players didn't understand how Garoppolo's return was possible. But, when Shanahan laid out the plan, everyone was onboard. The quarterback is a locker-room favorite, after all.
Garoppolo joined his teammates on the practice field for the first time on September 1—as QB2. That was strange for some.
"It definitely was a little different to see him in that backup role, at first," Juszczyk said. "But even then, I still remember the first practice that he was back here; you immediately noticed Jimmy, just his presence and his command. And that's something that, now that he's back to being a starter, that he's flipped right back on."
On Sunday night, Garoppolo will lead the 49ers into Empower Field at Mile High for a Week 3 matchup against Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos.