Garoppolo, of course, has shouldered much of the blame this offseason for the 49ers fourth-quarter collapse and ultimate defeat in that February matchup. A missed opportunity on a deep throw to Emmanuel Sanders fueled that criticism.
That performance came after one of the more impressive seasons by a 49ers quarterback in franchise history.
"I actually thought he played pretty well (in the Super Bowl)," Montana said. "He misses that one throw, obviously a big play in the game, didn't have an opportunity to come back.
"We've all missed throws. Right before 'The Catch,' I missed Freddie Solomon wide open. I threw the ball three feet over his head. He was only seven or eight yards away from me. It happens to all of us.
"He'll be back. He's a good player, and you've just got to give him more opportunities to be in that situation."
Garoppolo has been taking part in training camp walk-throughs without the knee brace he wore all last season as he returned from the ACL injury that shortened his 2018 campaign.
"Get that brace off of him, you feel a little bit different," Montana explained. "He's not a runner anyway, but you feel a lot more comfortable. I had -- not a serious knee injury -- but I had six cleanouts in my knee, and they wanted me to wear a brace. You just can't get used to it.
"Hopefully, you'll see a fresher, different player this year. Although, he had a pretty good year last year. I look forward to him doing the same thing. Hopefully, they get back to the game again, and then you'll see a Chiefs-49ers matchup again."
Added Montana while laughing: "Although, they've got to get through Tampa."
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers Notebook: Purdy burns Raiders with his legs; Halton injury hits teammates hard; Do the 49ers have a Super Bowl defense?
The latest version of the 49ers-Raiders rivalry was a memorable one, with a large number of twists, turns and unpredictable moments en route to a 38-17 49ers win at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. The teams don't play in the regular season often and didn't meet in the preseason... -
49ers must prioritize workload management as Super Bowl hopes come into focus
Following a successful, albeit limited, trade deadline, the San Francisco 49ers now face another important challenge as they look to maintain their position among the NFC's elite teams. At 7-1, the 49ers have established themselves as legitimate Super Bowl contenders, but... -
Keenan Allen gives the 49ers a practical piece for their Super Bowl push
It's not a blockbuster deal, but it doesn't have to be. For the second time in as many weeks, the San Francisco 49ers have made a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. First came the reunion with DeForest Buckner. This time, San Francisco added veteran receiver Keenan Allen in... -
49ers WR Mike Evans is 'getting real close' to returning, says Kyle Shanahan
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans has missed the last two games while dealing with Achilles tendinitis, and his return timeline remains uncertain. Evans has not practiced this week, making it increasingly unlikely that he will be available for Sunday's matchup...