Published 18:14 IST, January 29th 2020
Super Bowl 2020: The 10-minute call that brought Jimmy Garoppolo out of Tom Brady's shadow
Jimmy Garoppolo was in the middle of his fourth season as the understudy to Tom Brady when a 5 am call from Bill Belichick to Kyle Shanahan changed his destiny.
Advertisement
Placing a finger on pulse of Super Bowl heartbeat would reveal a thundering rhythm as we enter into business end of Super Bowl week. For first time since Super Bowl XLVII, two quarterbacks will make ir first start in a Super Bowl game in form of Patrick Mahomes and Jimmy Garoppolo. Yet, Jimmy Garoppolo alrey has two Super Bowl rings to his name, without making a single pass in a Super Bowl game. Garoppolo spent almost all his time at Gillette Stium as heir apparent to Tom Bry but risked being a perennial understudy to arguably greatest quarterback in history of NFL. This was until a 10-minute deliberation changed course of his destiny.
Advertisement
Super Bowl 2020: What could have been for Jimmy Garoppolo
Back in October 2017, 49ers were in middle of what seemed to be a long ro back to stability. With Kyle Shanahan in his first year at Levi’s Stium, 49ers got off to a rough start, going 0-8 by end of October. With Kyle Shanahan and 49ers eerily close to hitting rock bottom, Patriots he coach Bill Belichick came to ir rescue. Up until n, Jimmy Garoppolo served as an understudy to Tom Bry, who was showcasing an almost Benjamin Button-esque ability to defy old . With Garoppolo nearing Free ncy, Bill Belichick decided to tre him inste, and Kyle Shanahan was his first call.
In an interview with Tim Kawakami, Kyle Shanahan said that Belichick called him up after y lost to Eagles in unconvincing fashion. He n offered to tre Garoppolo to 49ers for a second-round pick. At 5:00 am that morning, Shanahan went over Belichick’s proposal with General Manr John Lynch. A 10-minute discussion followed, result of which was a hurried, but carefully deliberated decision to move for Garoppolo.
Advertisement
Jimmy Garoppolo's Super Bowl journey could come full circle at Super Bowl 2020
While Jimmy Garoppolo was on 49ers rar long before October 2017, Kyle Shanahan h his eyes set on a quarterback he was more familiar with – Kirk Cousins, who was n plying his tre in Washington. Shanahan was hugely impressed with Cousins during his time as Redskins’ offensive coordinator. Cousins was also due to be a free-nt quarterback following year. However, timing of Bill Belichick’s sudden ‘deal or deal’ proposal, combined with fact that Shanahan worked out Garoppolo before 2014 draft when he was Cleveland’s offensive coordinator meant that Garoppolo would ultimately move to 49ers. This would n lay down foundation for what could, quite possibly, be a Super Bowl-winning outfit this weekend. Following arrival of Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers went on to rope in Dee Ford and Nick Bosa. Bosa and Ford have led arguably most watertight defence this season.
Advertisement
In essence, Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch have neared completion of ir rebuilding project. In Garoppolo, Ford and Bosa, 49ers have a core that could go some way in providing some stability to ir ambitions in coming years. Were 49ers to come out on top at Hard Rock Stium in Miami this weekend, ir rebuilding journey will come a full circle.
Advertisement
18:14 IST, January 29th 2020