QB Jimmy Garoppolo

QB Jimmy Garoppolo

Press Conference – January 7, 2020

San Francisco 49ers

Does the fact that this is a playoff game, does that feel different to you than any other game that you’ve played to this point?

“I think the intensity and everything like that. I’ve been a part of some playoff games and seen the atmosphere of the building ramp up, the atmosphere of the coaches, players, everyone. Yeah, a lot more energy in the building, for sure.”

From your past experience, do you treat that any differently?

“Personally?”

Yes. Should a quarterback treat it any differently?

“You have your routine that you try to stick to. I’m pretty consistent with that, so it won’t change too much. You’ve got to feed off the energy, though, a little bit. It’s the playoffs. You’ve got to love it.”

How much did you watch on Sunday?

“Just about all of them, yeah.”

Do you watch it from a “I’m getting ready to play these guys perspective” or how do you balance that?

“The NFC teams, yeah. AFC, got to enjoy a little bit. You’re trying to do scouting reports on them as you go, just pick up anything you can from the TV copies like you always do. Just being able to see them live is a little different.”

What is your scouting report of the Vikings?

“They’re a talented group defensively. Very sound. They have their rules. They stick to their rules. Coach [Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike] Zimmer does a great job of getting them in great plays. They make it tough on offenses. That D-Line, they are impressive. They get after you so it will be a good test for us.”

They’ve been really effective defending tight ends. What is it that they do that is effective?

“I mean, their overall scheme, I think, helps them with that. They have talented safeties, talented linebackers who are the guys covering them. They do good in man-to-man situations. It will be tough on us to get those completions.”

Why did WR Emmanuel Sanders seem to have such an impact when he arrived? How much does his postseason experience, a lot of talk about you not playing in the postseason, but here’s a guy who did and was very successful, how does that help this week?

“Whenever you’ve got guys with experience like that, whether it’s sharing their experience, sharing stories of what they’ve went through, anything like that could always help the younger guys. We’ve got a lot of guys who haven’t played in a playoff game. It will be good to share that stuff.”

Why did he have an impact when he got here in a trade?

“There’s a number of things. It starts with him just being a pro. The trickle-down effect that he had to the other receivers and other skill positions on offense was huge. It doesn’t always go as seen. Just the stuff he does in the locker room, things like that. Obviously, his performance on the field speaks for itself. He brings a little bit of everything.”

RB Raheem Mostert has called himself a beach bum. He surfs and skateboards. Do you notice that in his personality and is there a switch that he flips when he’s on the football field that’s different from that?

“A little bit, yeah. We have a number of guys with that switch who can do that. He’s one of those guys, chill guy, gets along with everybody. So, I could definitely see the surfer and skateboarder mentality. Heem is an awesome guy to be around, great guy in the locker room. Just a pleasure to be around.”

You have been in the playoffs before, obviously. Is it different? How is it different? Is it less relaxing now to go in as the main guy?

“Obviously being the starter and backup is a little different. Yeah, I’m trying to prepare the same I have this whole season, treat this week, just go through my routine and everything like that like I normally do. Yeah, like I said before, the energy I think, especially on Saturday in that stadium, will be pretty special.”

So much information out there, passing stats and that kind of thing. What statistical benchmarks are important to you when you sit down and look at it? What do you want to be seeing that you’re doing well?

“Honestly, I don’t really look at the stats. I know it sounds cliché and everything. As long as the quarterback is winning, I think he’s doing his job and putting his team in a good position to win. As the quarterback, that’s your job.”

Having been in so many tight games this year, especially big moments, like let’s say New Orleans, what does that do for you and the overall team heading into a game like this which you know is probably going to tight and heavily contested?

“Yeah, well, we’ve had a couple of late games this season that just felt like playoff games. Starting with Seattle here, Baltimore, New Orleans, all those games. We’ve said it throughout the entire season, I think it’s going to help us going forward. As far as the experience with it, I think just we don’t have to deal with the noise and things like that. It will be a little different at home. Just the energy, the intensity that’s out there, it’s a little different.”

What do you remember about the season opener in 2018 specifically, the challenges that defense gave you?

“Yeah, they do a good job with their disguise, obviously holding it with the safeties and thing like that. They don’t give you anything easy. They make you work for everything down the field. There’s really no easy completions, no easy eight-yard run that you’re going to get. We’re going to have to earn everything. We know that going into this.”

Offensive assistant coach Katie Sowers’ commercial has been getting a lot of air. As an offensive assistant, how much growth have you seen since she’s joined the staff from her?

“She’s been tremendous. Katie was here before I was. What she does with the receivers, all the skill position guys, how she interacts with them, it’s special. She’s feisty, man. Katie is awesome out there. She’ll get after the guys. It’s fun to be around.”

A quick reaction to being fined $7,000 for throwing the ball in the stands and then finding out it had been caught by a San Jose fan who had driven all the way to Seattle?

“Pretty accurate on the throw. I saw the guy. I wasn’t trying to start a riot or anything. I was trying to throw it to that specific guy. He made a great catch on it. Yeah, I was glad it was a San Fran fan that caught that.”

T Joe Staley was honest a couple years ago about nearly walking away and clearly this means a lot to him. I know it means a lot to all of you, but do you have a sense of how much this run means to him going into this?

“Yeah, I think not even this run, just this whole season in general. You could really see it after the Seattle game, how much it meant to everybody. But Joe, he’s been through the ups and downs of this whole organization. Just the one in Seattle was a big one. We just want to keep this thing rolling for him.”