49ers right to believe in Jimmy Garoppolo moving forward

The San Francisco 49ers lost in Super Bowl LIV. The criticism was coming. Critics are especially eyeing the tandem of head coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. In the wake of a fourth-quarter meltdown against the Kansas City Chiefs, Garoppolo’s value is being questioned. San Francisco led 20-10 midway through the final period, only to surrender 21 straight points. For Shanahan, it’s the second time his team has blown a big lead, the first time coming when the Atlanta Falcons lost a 28-3 advantage with him as offensive coordinator.

Then there’s Garoppolo. At one point, the man called Jimmy G was 18-of-22. In the fourth quarter, though, Garoppolo was 3-of-11 for 36 yards with an interception. It was ugly football, and the kind of game which prompts columns galore, asking if the 49ers have the right quarterback to win it all.

Want $250 to bet on NFL futures?

On Thursday, general manager John Lynch and Shanahan spoke to reporters at a press conference. Shanahan was asked his thoughts on Garoppolo moving forward. Per NFL.com:

“Same as it was the day before the Super Bowl. There’s no difference. He was on his way close to a Super Bowl MVP and we all know we didn’t … make those plays at the end but we made those plays all year, our whole team, that’s one of the reasons we were there. Whenever you don’t make those plays at the end of the game like that, first and foremost, the quarterback’s going to get attacked and then usually the play-caller. We understand that’s how it goes.”

Losing the Super Bowl is brutal, but perspective is needed. The 49ers went 13-3 and were eight minutes away from winning their first Super Bowl in 25 years. Garoppolo was more than good enough to win in a shootout at the Superdome against the New Orleans Saints back in November. While not asked to do much, he handled business against the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers in the playoffs (and destroyed Green Bay during the regular season).

Read: Rams Could Try To Trade Todd Gurley During NFL Offseason

In short, San Francisco could do far worse than Jimmy Garoppolo, who showed he’s adequate to win it all with.

If the 49ers plan on getting back to the Super Bowl, though, they’ll need to continue adding weapons while trying to keep their excellent defense together. It won’t be simple with salary cap constraints. However, with a full draft class and a couple of smart moves in free agency, it’s well within reason.