QB Jimmy Garoppolo Press Conference

QB Jimmy Garoppolo

Press Conference – August 19, 2021

San Francisco 49ers

With Los Angeles Chargers S Derwin James Jr., Los Angeles Chargers OLB Joey Bosa a lot of Playmakers, what was it like to go up against that defense today?

“It was good. It was a good challenge for us. I’m always a fan of seeing new looks, new defenses, all that stuff. And I thought we handled it well. It was competitive all the way through, and I love this stuff.”

Years ago you were the young quarterback trying to challenge and earn a spot on the team. Now you’ve got another young quarterback behind you. How did that change your preparation?

“Honestly, it doesn’t too much. I come out here, I’m trying to earn the job the same way as everyone else is. I think it’s one of those jobs where you’ve got to come out and compete every day. And as soon as you stop competing, you’re going to find out real quick what the NFL is like. And so, every day I approach it the same, try to have just a consistent mindset and let the chips fall as they may.”

You guys were pushing the ball downfield a lot. Is that something that was just there or was that okay, let’s try and go deeper a little bit here?

“No, same as every other day, really. When they give us the chances, we’ve got to take them. Similar to our practices back home, but just we got more chances, I guess, today at it. But yeah, it was, made some plays down the field. It was nice.”

Talk about the development for WR Brandon Aiyuk?

“B.A. man, he’s come a long way, especially since his rookie year. I think this year he’s been more consistent, the fight in him, it’s been coming out more and more, a little more personality you see from the guy. And I like to see that, you know, one-on-ones, you see him get pissed off or something like that. And, it’s good.”

When you see that growth, does that give you more confidence to kind of go at him and know he’s going to catch it?

“Yeah. You know, you can kind of see it in a guy’s eyes if they have it going that day, if they don’t. B.A.’s one of those guys he’s just consistent and he brings the same energy every day and those are the guys you want to go into the huddle with.”

Was it Joey Bosa the guy who swiped the ball out of your hand?

“He said sorry as he passed me. Yeah, he sounds just like [DL] Nick [Bosa]. It was kind of funny in my head, but you know, you’re upset at the time and then you hear him say, sorry, Jim, at the same time, it was just a Bosa thing, I guess.”

In another situation, there was some back and forth. I don’t think you were involved with it, but then you saw head coach Kyle Shanahan kind of get into it a little bit. Did you see that? Or was that like listening to all that?

“No. I mean, that’s why you’re out here. You enjoy that stuff. I don’t know. That’s the competitive nature. And when you go against the same guys and your own team, every single day, it gets monotonous at times. So like I said, it’s refreshing to come out here and get a little bit of that.”

Kyle said that a lot of quarterbacks sort of revert fundamentally to maybe some bad habits when they get in games or live situations like this. Did you deal with that in your first training camp and what was your mindset and trying to work through it?

“I think all players kind of, it happened not just quarterbacks, but all players, it happens. You know, when the bullets start flying, you just go to your instincts, kind of. And so it’s, I don’t know, it’s one of those things you’ve got to work through. It takes reps, takes time. I don’t know. There’s no secret formula to it. You’ve just got to work through it.”

How do you think QB Trey Lance’s dealing with it?

“I think Trey’s doing good with it. Trey is very, like I said with B.A., he’s very consistent, pretty even keeled the whole time. And that’s what you want to see out of a young guy.”

You’ve supported Trey and all that and you do so on the sideline, including the touchdown to WR Trent Sherfield. You seemed genuinely excited.

“Our team scored, why wouldn’t I? (laughter)”

Obviously you can separate those two things?

“Oh yeah. I mean, you can’t worry about those things. I’m excited we scored a touchdown. You know, the team scored a touchdown. It was an exciting moment on the sideline. I think me and [WR Mohamed Sanu Sr.] Mo were kind of standing there. We knew the play and everything and kind of knew what was going to happen. So we were ready for it and it was an exciting moment. I mean, we’re out here playing a game. You’ve got to enjoy it.”

Can you take me through the interception in the end zone and what you saw on that play?

“Which one down here. They just dropped deep, trying to remember the play right now. Yeah, they dropped deep. We went underneath, tried to lay it out to the guy when he was breaking out and just left it a little short. But those are the things that you’ve got to work through.”

How is the other RB Trey Sermon doing? How is he developing?

“He’s been doing really well. He had a couple of nice pickups today in protection, really stood the linebackers up. He’s got a long way to go, like all rookies, but he’s coming along real nicely.”

On one of your big plays it was TE George Kittle pass blocking against Bosa. Everybody doesn’t cheer for the pass, they cheer for Kittle blocking. Did you all know that was what had to happen on that play and did you sense that that was going to be a pretty big matchup?

“Yeah. I mean, that’s how it goes. I think George locked him up pretty well. I felt him a little bit, but whenever you could get a tight end to block a D-End like that, it’s always a good thing.”