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Jimmy Garoppolo is playing some sound football. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback has had his share of critics over the years, but his team has won four consecutive games now and sits alone atop the NFC West. In Week 11, the offense seemed to be firing on all cylinders. Then, in Week 12, the defense took over and shut out the New Orleans Saints.
Garoppolo's popularity inside the 49ers locker room has been well-documented. But what is it about the quarterback that makes him so likable among his teammates?
"Because everybody sees kind of what goes on," 49ers safety Jimmie Ward said Tuesday morning on KNBR's
Murph & Mac show. "Everybody always hears the outside noise when it comes to Jimmy G. We see the adversity that he has [faced], the perseverance through each year.
"Even over this past year, we noticed, We seen the moves that [general manager] John [Lynch] and [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] make. And when you look at Jimmy, he's just poised. He comes in the locker room, he's the same guy. No matter what, he continues to work. He doesn't pout. He doesn't cry. He doesn't get down on himself. He just continues to work, and he doesn't lose his confidence."
Garoppolo has completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 2,381 yards, 16 touchdowns, four interceptions, and a passer rating of 103.0 through 10 games this season. His passer rating ranks fifth in the league and the quarterback has not thrown an interception that counted—a penalty nullified one on Sunday—since October 23.
"You know who he is as a player," Ward continued. "You know what he can bring to this team. And he's a pretty good quarterback. I want to say people are starting to see that, but at the same time, he has such high expectations, which is crazy. But that's what happens when you're a great player."
Ward expects to hit free agency
Ward is playing in the final year of his contract and expects to hit free agency after this season.
"Yeah, I'm going to free agency, obviously," Ward said. "The 49ers haven't offered me anything."
The defensive back has been playing in the slot despite making it clear that he prefers playing safety. He doesn't necessarily see it as a negative, though. Instead, it's an opportunity for him to show off his versatility and, hopefully, increase his value.
"Just because I'm out here playing nickel at a high level, and last year, I was playing safety at a high level," Ward explained. "They know I can play safety. I can play strong or free. Now I can play nickel. How many safeties can play nickel and safety that can legitimately cover? I'm out here covering number one wide receivers."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Ward below.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw for a franchise-record 4,280 yards last season, leading the team to the Super Bowl and earning his first Pro Bowl selection. He held onto the football 39 times on the ground, rushing for 144 yards and scoring twice. This marked a significant improvement over his rookie 2022 campaign when he had 22 carries for 13 yards and a score.
Purdy further displayed his athleticism during the 49ers' playoff game against the Detroit Lions last season, helping engineer a comeback victory while rushing for 48 yards on five carries.
On Tuesday morning, Purdy joined the "Pat McAfee Show," acknowledging that he believes he can contribute more rushing yards if called upon. However, that decision rests with head coach Kyle Shanahan,
ESPN analyst Matt Miller watches the San Francisco 49ers differently than other teams. As a 49ers fan, he feels more invested in the team's successes and failures than most analysts.
With the draft nearing, Miller made it clear which direction he believes head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch should take with their first pick. In his ESPN mock draft, a seven-round doozy, the analyst had the 49ers selecting former Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan.
Miller recently joined the 49ers Webzone "No Huddle" podcast, sharing why he adamantly hopes the team addresses the offensive line at the end of the month.
"So I
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
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
